Robert Hebert Quick (30 September 1831 – 1891) was an English educator and writer on education. Political history was the usual venue for

Whig history Whig history (or Whig historiography) is an approach to historiography that presents history as a journey from an oppressive and benighted past to a "glorious present". The present described is generally one with modern forms of liberal democracy ...

of the sort that presented the past as a story of achievements accumulating to the present stage. However, Quick and G. A. N. Lowndes were the leaders of the Whig school of the history of education. In 1898 Quick explained the value of studying the history of educational reform, arguing that the past accomplishments were cumulative and "would raise us to a higher standing-point from which we may see much that will make the right road clearer to us".

Life

Born in

Harrow, London Harrow () is a large town in Greater London, England, and serves as the principal settlement of the London Borough of Harrow. Lying about north-west of Charing Cross and south of Watford, the entire town including its localities had a popula ...

, he was the eldest son of James Carthew Quick, a prosperous merchant. Quick was educated at Harrow School and

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any college at either Cambridge or Oxford. ...

, where he graduated B.A. in 1854 and was ordained the following year. Afterwards he was assistant to Joseph Merriman at

Cranleigh School Cranleigh School is a public school (English independent day and boarding school) in the village of Cranleigh, Surrey. History It was opened on 29 September 1865 as a boys' school 'to provide a sound and plain education, on the principles o ...

; and assistant master at Harrow School, appointed by

Henry Montagu Butler Henry Montagu Butler (2 July 1833 – 14 January 1918) was an English academic and clergyman, who served as headmaster of Harrow School (1860–85), Dean of Gloucester (1885–86) and Master of Trinity College, Cambridge (1886–1918). Early ...

, an old friend. Quick was the first to lecture at Cambridge on the history of education (1879), to the new teachers' training syndicate.

Works

*''Essays on Educational Reformers'' (1868; second enlarged edition, 1890) Quick also wrote on

Friedrich Fröbel Friedrich Wilhelm August Fröbel or Froebel (; 21 April 1782 – 21 June 1852) was a German pedagogue, a student of Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, who laid the foundation for modern education based on the recognition that children have unique need ...

, edited John Locke's ''Some Thoughts Concerning Education'' (1880), and reprinted with notes

Richard Mulcaster Richard Mulcaster (ca. 1531, Carlisle, Cumberland – 15 April 1611, Essex) is known best for his headmasterships of Merchant Taylors' School and St Paul's School, both then in London, and for his pedagogic writings. He is often regarded as t ...

's ''Positions'' (1888).

Legacy

Quick's personal library forms what is now the greater part of the Quick Memorial Library collection at the University of London Research library. Books, pamphlets and periodicals are included, dealing with most aspects of education.

Family

Quick married Bertha, a daughter of General Thomas Chase Parr. They had a son, Oliver Chase Quick, and a daughter, Dora. Quick had a younger brother,

Frederick James Quick Frederick James Quick (22 October 1836 — 21 December 1902) was a wholesale dealer in tea and coffee in the City of London, chairman of the firm Quick, Reek, and Smith. He left most of his fortune to the University of Cambridge to promote the int ...

(1836—1902), also educated at Harrow and Cambridge, who never married. He went into the family firm and left most of his fortune to the University of Cambridge."QUICK, Frederick James", and "QUICK, Robert Hebert", in

John Archibald Venn John Archibald Venn (10 November 1883 – 15 March 1958) was a British economist. He was President of Queens' College, Cambridge, from 1932 until his death, Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University 1941–1943, university archivist, and a ...

, ''

Alumni Cantabrigienses ''Alumni Cantabrigienses: A Biographical List of All Known Students, Graduates and Holders of Office at the University of Cambridge, from the Earliest Times to 1900'' is a biographical register of former members of the University of Cambridge whic ...

'', Part II, vol. 5 (Cambridge University Press, 1953)
p. 227
/ref>

Notes

References

* F. Storr, ''Life and Memoirs of R. H. Quick'' (London, 1899) * * C. E. Lindgren, 'Quick, Robert Hebert (1831–1891)',

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...

, Oxford University Press, 200
accessed 20 March 2012

The Quick Memorial Library
*

External links

* * * People from Harrow, London 19th-century English educators English essayists Education writers People educated at Harrow School Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge 1831 births 1891 deaths Whig history Teachers at Harrow School {{educationist-stub