Frances Jane Ross (1869–1950) was a New Zealand school principal known as "a pioneer in women's education".

Early life and education

She was born in 1869 in Otepopo (now Herbert), to a Scots father and Irish mother. Frances Ross was an early woman graduate of the

University of Otago The University of Otago () is a public university, public research university, research collegiate university based in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. Founded in 1869, Otago is New Zealand's oldest university and one of the oldest universities in ...

. She was awarded her BA in 1890, and an MA in 1900. Before enrolling at the university, Ross had been a foundation pupil of Girton College, a

Dunedin Dunedin ( ; ) is the second-most populous city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from ("fort of Edin"), the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of S ...

school founded by Otago's first woman graduate Caroline Freeman. After her BA, she returned to Girton as first assistant. She took over as the school's principal and owner when Freeman moved to her second Girton College in

Christchurch Christchurch (; ) is the largest city in the South Island and the List of cities in New Zealand, second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand. Christchurch has an urban population of , and a metropolitan population of over hal ...

. Her family remembered her warmly for her support for their education.

Career

Ross was the founding principal of

Columba College Columba College is an integrated Presbyterian school in Roslyn, Otago, Roslyn, Dunedin, New Zealand. The roll is made up of pupils of all ages. The majority of pupils are in the girls' secondary, day and boarding school, but there is also a p ...

, a

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...

secondary school for boarders and day girls. Ross was keen to give the girls a broad education. She noted that New Zealand was new and it needed its women to make a contribution in a variety of ways. She retired from Columba College in 1930 and she was replaced by Grace Mackintosh who came from Scotland to take up her first headship. Ross continued as a school governor and she took up voluntary work for the

Young Women's Christian Association The Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) is a nonprofit organization with a focus on empowerment, leadership, and rights of women, young women, and girls in more than 100 countries. The World office is currently based in Geneva, Swit ...

of New Zealand. She was a member of its Dunedin board from 1930 until 1944, Dunedin president for three years, and World YWCA Council member for six years. In 1944 she was made a life member of the Dunedin YWCA. During the Second World War, Frances Ross returned to the teaching workforce as warden of St Margaret's College, principal of the Dunedin Presbyterian Women's Training Institute, and teacher at

St Hilda's Collegiate School Saint Hilda's Collegiate School is a secondary school for girls in Dunedin, New Zealand. History Founded as an Anglican school in 1896 by the first bishop of Dunedin, Bishop Samuel Nevill and staffed by the Sisters of the Church. The sisters ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ross, Frances Jane 1869 births 1950 deaths New Zealand schoolteachers People from Otago Colony of New Zealand people