Former Teacher Biographies

Robert Smeaton Douglas ( - 1912), Art Master
 

A native of Tayport. Mr. Douglas received his Art training at the High School of Dundee under the late Mr Gubb. He had a long and varied experience of teaching, serving successively in Dundee, Forfar, Elgin, Lhanbryd, and Londonderry. He entered upon his duties at Madras College in the beginning of Session
1889-90 when the school was reorganised. His work in St. Andrews as elsewhere was characterised by ability, enthusiasm. thoroughness, and initiative which soon made him a wide reputation, and St. Andrews was fortunate in retaining his services till June 1902, when he was appointed Art Master of Ayr Academy.
His capacity for work was marvellous. At almost any hour of the day and evening he was to be found in the Art Room of the College teaching eager pupils whom he inspired with a like industry, or working himself, in colour, black and white, or clay. His holidays were regularly utilised to perfect himself in his profession, and he took eight summer courses at the Royal College of Art, London. In 1891, in a competition open to the United Kingdom, he secured the Third Bronze Medal awarded by the City and Guilds of London Institute. For six years lie was an elected member of the Water Colour Society of Ireland. He was a member of the Institute of Architecture, Science and Art. He acted as examiner in drawing of the Continuation Schools in Fife, was senior instructor of the teachers' classes under Fife County Council, and was examiner in Drawing for the Degree of B.Sc., of St. Andrews University. His success in Ayr is apparent from the following extract from an obituary notice which appeared in a local newspaper:— An enthusiast in all matters connected with art, Mr. Douglas worked with an energy that, was amazing, and communicating his zeal to his pupils, he soon put the art department of Ayr Academy upon a basis that earned for him the commendation of the Education Department, the School Board, and the general public. The work of his department soon became so important that the School Board undertook the erection of an extensive addition to the Academy, providing one of the best equipped art schools in the country. Mr. Douglas was thorough in all his work, and by his pupils he was held in the highest esteem. At the annual exhibitions held in connection with the closing of the Academy the work of the pupils in the Art department was a revelation of his success as an instructor. By every means in his power Mr. Douglas furthered the interests of those under his charge, and he had the satisfaction of knowing that his painstaking tuition was not in vain, for many of his scholars carried off prizes in London and elsewhere. Mr. Douglas took a prominent part in connection with various art and photographic exhibitions held in the town, and at various times he gave instructive lectures on various phases of art."

At a time when teachers were even more circumscribed in their activities than now, when individuality and initiative were not considered specially necessary or even commendable, Mr, Douglas insisted in working on his own lines, and anticipated, as our present Art Master, Mr. Lessells, had been doing in Montrose and Leith, modern methods of art teaching. While he was himself an adept at the purely formal outline studies so long the fetish of South Kensington, he endeavoured to inculcate a love of the beautiful in nature, and to wed nature and art in the minds of his pupils at the very beginning of the school curriculum. Versatile himself, he was able to develop the special aptitudes of the pupils, and to train them according to their special bent. Pupils with artistic talent were fired with a love of art and an ambition to make the most of their gifts. Pupils less gifted were at least taught an appreciation of the beautiful in art and nature which became an increasing source of pleasure which otherwise might have been lacking. For such pupils, too, there was the more mechanical but still enjoyable work of geometrical and perspective drawing, and machine and building construction. The annual exhibition, to winch the townspeople came in crowds, were monuments of skilful and industrious teaching. In St. Andrews there are many examples of the excellent work done in Madras College under his careful training, and these will he his lasting memorials.

But R. Smeaton Douglas was not only a born teacher with a genius for drawing out the latent talent of his pupils, not merely a man who left the definite impression of his striking personality on their characters, he was a man with a rare capacity for friendship. Generous, warm-hearted, and unselfish; free from all that was sordid or mean, he won the love of all who knew him. and leaves to them a memory that will ever he fresh, fragrant and inspiring.

An Appreciation.
(By an Old Boy)
Certain days are red-letter days during one's schooling. Madras boys and girls who were present when the great change took place in 1889 will never forget the muster outside the classrooms on that eventful day. When the bell rang and we pupils of Class VI. entered one of the new classrooms, our attention was at once held by a new master who proceeded to instruct us in the principles of freehand drawing. Books were passed round on which to exercise our skill; and as the place for the teacher's name was yet unfilled, we requested instructions and were directed to write "R. Smeaton Douglas."

Such was the introduction of the pupils of Class VI., Session 1889-90 to one of the most interesting personalities it has been my lot to know, and when news arrived in St. Andrews in November last that he had passed away, it needed no imagination on my part to realise that among Madrasians all over the world a blank had been created which it would be hard to fill.

The writer knows some who owe a big measure of their success in life to his careful teaching and to his ability to direct a pupil's artistic talent into profitable channels. And what of the army of boys and girls without any real artistic talent but with whom our late master so enthusiastically persevered that a taste for the beautiful might lie formed? Among that large class the writer would subscribe himself, and ever since leaving school he has felt a growing interest in and appreciation of art, due to the painstaking instruction of his old master.

Such must be the experience of hundreds of pupils who came under the spell of his glowing personality.
The application of the principles of art which one sees to-day in so many different spheres once utterly destitute of beauty and of no greater utility for being so, was anticipated by R. S. Douglas, and the city of St. Andrews bears the imprint of his work in this connection. He loved the ancient city as he loved all that was beautiful, and the citizens of St. Andrews applauded his sentiment and appreciated his work.

Often when passing through the city one's memories are strangely stirred by the clang of the old school bell. Fore-most amongst these is the recollection of the life and work of our teacher and friend, R. S. Douglas.

W. J. R.