Eric Robert James Hussey (24 April 1885 – 19 May 1958) was a British colonial administrator and

track and field athlete Track and field is a sport that includes Competition#Sports, athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of ...

who competed in the

1908 Summer Olympics The 1908 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the IV Olympiad and also known as London 1908) were an international multi-sport event held in London, England, United Kingdom, from 27 April to 31 October 1908. The 1908 Games were ori ...

. He was born in

Blandford Forum Blandford Forum ( ), commonly Blandford, is a market town in Dorset, England, sited by the River Stour, Dorset, River Stour about northwest of Poole. It was the administrative headquarters of North Dorset District until April 2019, when this ...

and died in

Cuckfield Cuckfield ( ) is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Mid Sussex District, Mid Sussex District of West Sussex, England, on the southern slopes of the Weald. It lies south of London, north of Brighton, and east northeas ...

.Eric Hussey
Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2015-01-23. In 1908 he was eliminated in the semi-finals of the 110 metre hurdles competition after finishing second in his heat. He was appointed to the colonial

Sudan Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...

Civil Service in 1908 and taught at

Gordon Memorial College Gordon Memorial College was an educational institution in Sudan. It was built between 1899 and 1902 as part of Lord Kitchener's wide-ranging educational reforms. Named for General 'Chinese' Charles George Gordon of the British army, who was kill ...

. He held various other roles as an educator in Africa and wrote several works on his experiences. Hussey led the development of colonial educational plans in Sudan and Nigeria and the upgrade of

Makerere Makerere ( ) is a neighborhood in the city of Kampala, Uganda's capital city. The name also applies to the hill on which this neighborhood is perched; one of the original seven hills that constituted Kampala at the time of its founding, in the e ...

to become a higher training institution and the establishment of Yaba College.

Life

Hussey was born to the family of James Hussey and Martha Ellen Hussey (née Hewitt), his father was a theology graduate of Wadham College. The elder Hussey was clergyman in

Durweston Durweston ( ) is a village and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in the English county of Dorset. It lies northwest of the town of Blandford Forum. It is sited by the River Stour, Dorset, River Stour at the point where it flows out of the ...

when Hussey was born in 1885. Hussey attended Repton School between 1899 and 1904 and was active participant in school athletics and earned recognition for his athletic achievements including setting a school record in the 120 yards hurdles. He then gained a scholarship to attend

Hertford College, Oxford Hertford College ( ), previously known as Magdalen Hall, is a colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. It is located on Catte Street in the centre of Oxford, directly opposite the main ga ...

. At Oxford, he became one of the nation's top hurdlers and represented Great Britain in the 1908 Olympics.

Career in East Africa

Upon graduation, Hussey who might have been enticed by the generous benefits of colonial service applied to the

Sudan Political Service Anglo-Egyptian Sudan ( ar, السودان الإنجليزي المصري ') was a condominium of the United Kingdom and Egypt in the Sudans region of northern Africa between 1899 and 1956, corresponding mostly to the territory of present-day ...

. He was a model candidate for what

Lord Cromer Earl of Cromer is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, held by members of the Baring family, of German descent. It was created for Evelyn Baring, 1st Viscount Cromer, long time British Consul-General in Egypt. He had already been cr ...

was trying to develop among officers in Sudan, someone with athletic abilities and fair academic result. Hussey was accepted as tutor within the Sudan Educational Service, firstly working at

Gordon College Gordon College may refer to: * Gordon State College, a public college in Barnesville, Georgia * Gordon College (Massachusetts), a Christian college in Wenham, Massachusetts * Government Gordon College, a Christian college in Rawalpindi, Pakistan * ...

and assisting in the development of a primary education plan. Between 1908 and 1920, Hussey's work in Sudan gained the notice of Geoffrey Archer, an administrator in

Somaliland Somaliland,; ar, صوماليلاند ', ' officially the Republic of Somaliland,, ar, جمهورية صوماليلاند, link=no ''Jumhūrīyat Ṣūmālīlānd'' is a ''de facto'' sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, still conside ...

who requested Hussey's advice in the development of primary education within the territory. But many of his recommendations were delayed due to financial difficulties while his effort was admired by Archer who again requested Hussey to help advice on plans on developing education in

Uganda }), is a landlocked country in East Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territor ...

. Hussey's plan for Uganda was extensive, an effort to restructure an educational system dominated by mission schools who were at times in dispute with each other. He recommended the creation of a Director of Education, a new grants-in-aid structure, an upgrade to

institution to offer professional training courses and also an upgrade on many mission schools offering primary education. A few intermediate schools will offer a pathway to Makerere. In 1925, he was appointed the first Director of Education in Uganda where he followed an educational policy to enhance the social and cultural fabric of Ugandan communities. Hussey was able to push through many of his recommendations.

Career in Nigeria

In 1929, Hussey accepted a position as the First Director of Education following the amalgamation of the North and South protectorates. In 1930, he concluded his report on educations plans in Nigeria, partly influenced by the 1926, Hadow report on the education of adolescents. In

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

, he sought to limit mission schools to offer nursery and primary education up to standard IV instead of standard VI. He was unenthusiastic about the quality of education offered to graduates who became eligible to commercial or government work after passing standard VI exams. His plan envisioned an intermediate junior secondary school from standard V to standard VIII and a two-year senior secondary education which will offer courses on craft work. Hussey's interest in increasing the sphere of government in education had some push back from the missions. His policies followed an adaptation theory of education to instill part of community life and culture in education. However, financial constraints affected a full implementation of his educational plans. Hussey devoted effort to the establishment of Yaba Higher College and upgrade of teacher training institutions. Yaba College was opened by Governor Cameron in 1934. Hussey retired from colonial service in 1936.

Post-retirement

Hussey joined the National Society in 1936 and was secretary from late 1936 to 1942. In 1940, he became a member of the Advisory Committee on Education in the Colonies.

Family

His son

Marmaduke Hussey, Baron Hussey of North Bradley Marmaduke James Hussey, Baron Hussey of North Bradley (29 August 1923 – 27 December 2006), known as Duke Hussey, was Chairman of the Board of Governors of the BBC from 1986 to 1996, serving two terms in that role. Education and career The so ...

was Chairman of the Board of Governors of the BBC.

References