Thomas Scholfield Foster (13 September 1853 – 8 September 1918), commonly known as Tony Foster, was a New Zealand school principal, inspector, and a university lecturer.

Early life and education

He was born in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, England, in 1853. His parents moved to New Zealand when he was a child; they arrived in Wellington 31 December 1856, and settled ultimately in Canterbury. Foster studied at the Rangiora Church School before winning a Somes scholarship to study at Christ's College. In 1881 he received a

BA Degree A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree ...

from Canterbury College, followed by an MA Degree in languages and literature the following year.

Career

Foster was appointed as the headmaster at

Christchurch West High School Christchurch West High School (originally Christchurch Academy then High School of Christchurch and then West Christchurch Borough School) existed prior to 1966 on the site of Hagley College in Hagley Avenue, in Christchurch, New Zealand. In tha ...

in 1882, where he had also held the position of master from 1874 to 1881. In 1904 he was elected as a school inspector for the North Canterbury School District. In 1911 he was appointed the chief school inspector for the North Canterbury Board of Education.

Personal life

On 29 August 1882, he married Emily Sophia Brittan, the daughter of Guise Brittan. His wife was the senior female teacher at Christchurch West High School. His wife died on 30 December 1897 and Foster died on 8 September 1918. Both are buried at St Paul's Anglican Church, Papanui.

Legacy

In 1920 a memorial tablet to his life was unveiled at Canterbury College Hall, where he had studied and later become a lecturer and the president of its training college. The tablet bore the inscription "His life was devoted with untiring zeal and perfect singleness of aim to the cause of education."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Foster, Tony 1853 births 1918 deaths Educators from Christchurch Burials at St Paul's Cemetery, Christchurch 19th-century New Zealand educators People educated at Christ's College, Christchurch University of Canterbury alumni British emigrants to New Zealand Brittan family