HISLOP, JOHN (1821-1904) was born at Pentland, Midlothian. He received his education in Edinburgh, took the prize in every class at the School of Arts (now Heriot Watt College), and left with his diploma at the age of 17. Next year Hislop was appointed assistant master at Burntisland Grammar School, and two years later, at the age of 20, he was appointed to the staff of the school at Lasswade, his native parish. He afterwards attended the Normal School in Edinburgh, and then was master successively of the parish schools at Colinton, Cults, and Kirknewton. He was at Kirknewton for 12 years prior to leaving for New Zealand.

In 1855 Hislop applied for a post under the provincial government of Otago, and he arrived at Port Chalmers by the Strathmore in Oct 1856. He was appointed to the school at East Taieri, where he spent four and a half years; and then he was appointed inspector of schools for the province and secretary of the Otago education board. While in this post he had much to do with the establishment of the Boys' and Girls' High Schools in Dunedin, the Training College, the School of Art, and the district high schools. He was also first secretary to the Otago University council and registrar of the University. In 1867 the provincial government employed him to report on the resources of the province, and he published an interesting handbook. When the industrial school was established at Caversham in 1869, the task of organizing and supervising the institution was entrusted to Hislop and St John Branigan (q.v.).

The passing of the national education act marked the end of Hislop's official career in the province. As early as 1871 he had a large part in the drafting of the bill, which was then read for a second time in the House of Representatives. It made no further progress, but many of its provisions were embodied in the later bill of 1877, which gave to the Colony a uniform system of education, free, secular and compulsory. Hislop was selected for the post of Secretary for Education when the new system was brought into force, and he went to Wellington to inaugurate it. When he left Otago the teachers of the province, who were to leave their mark upon the teaching profession of the Colony during the next generation, paid him a remarkable demonstration of affection and respect. Henceforward Hislop's duties kept him mainly in Wellington. In 1882 he visited Great Britain, when he received from the University of Edinburgh the honorary degree of LL.D. in recognition of his services to the cause of education. He also received the fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. After retiring from the Education department (1886) Hislop lived in Dunedin. He became a member of the education board, of the hospital board of trustees, and of the City Council; chairman of the industrial school board of advice, a representation commissioner, a member of the committee of the benevolent institution, and a visiting justice of the gaol. In the commercial world he was a director of the Mosgiel Woollen Co. A prominent freemason, he was at one time grand master under the Scottish constitution. He also took a keen interest in the Caledonian Society.

Dr Hislop married (1846) Miss J. Horne, of Caithness-shire (who died in 1903). His death occurred on 19 May 1904. (See THOMAS WILLIAM HISLOP)

Otago P.C. Proc.; App. H.R., 1878-86; Cycl. N.Z., iv (p); Butchers; McIndoe; Otago Daily Times, 20 May 1904, 31 May 1930 (p). Portrait by Horsburgh at Otago University.

Reference: Volume 1, page 213

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