SLOSS, DUNCAN J
Margaret Stedman Watson was the daughter of Thomas Boswell Watson.
She married Dr Duncan J. Sloss who is covered here. While he is really outwith our direct family tree, he is of great interest and I quote from two obituaries (cuttings from my father's collection, but of unknown origin). His contribution to Far East higher education across 3 countries is amazing.
DR. D. J. SLOSS
B.R.P. writes : -
D.J.Sloss will be widely remembered in Asia as a brilliant scholar and an able administrator. A graduate of the Liverpool University, where he studied under Professor Elton, he went in 1912 to India to work in the Maharaja's College at Travancore, and from there shortly after the end of the First World War he was translated to Rangoon where, on the formation of the Rangoon University in 1920 he became Professor of English in the University and head of the Department of English in the University College. Three years later he was appointed Principal of the College. In that capacity he dominated the Rangoon University and was the mainspring of its development. Under his guidance, and despite difficulties arising from some Burmese mistrust of an institution modelled on the English pattern and some shortsighted opposition from Europeans in Burma who disliked the whole conception of higher education for Burmans, he built the University up from fewer than 500 students at the beginning to well over 2,600 in the 1930's. The development of the University is a residential institution and the creation of the University Estate to the north of Rangoon, with grounds of 400 acres and excellent facilities, were due mainly to his enterprise; and his skilful management enabled the institution to survive unimpaired the financial blizzard of the early 1930's. To him more than anyone else, moreover, was due the high academic standard which was in those days maintained.
A year after his retirement from Burma in 1936, he went to Hongkong as Vice-Chancellor of the University, but his work there was interrupted by the Japanese occupation. Having, despite his age and the inevitable sickness caused by the privations of internment, survived the ordeal, he directed his energies to the reestabalishment of the University which is today so flourishing.
Many generations of students, in India, Burma and Hongkong, who have since played a major part in the affairs of their countries, owe their success in large measure to the work which D. J. Sloss did and to the inspiration which he provided.
The other obituary is :
DR. DUNCAN J. SLOSS
Dr. L. Dudley Stamp writes : -
The death of D. J. Sloss on July 29, recorded in your issue of July 31, marks the close of an important chapter in the development of higher education in the Far East. When, after World War I, the University College of Rangoon – previously attached to the University of Calcutta – was made one of the two constituent colleges of the University of Rangoon, its development was assured by the substantial grants from the Government Rice Control profits. Sloss was appointed to the staff, becoming principal in 1925, and guided developments over many years. The senior staff were officers of the Indian Educational Services (I.E.E.), specially seconded.
Sloss introduced from his Oxford background a dignity in the conduct of affairs, recruited a staff of top calibre, including such as D. G. F. Hall. When I became first Professor of Geology and Geography in 1923 we occupied old wooden buildings adjoining the Government High School in Commissioner Road. Soon there were plans for a large campus adjoining the Great Lakes and elephants were at work clearing the forest. The first buildings were student hostels. Throughout Sloss was the guiding spirit, and we all agreed with him in maintaining standards of scholarship not a whit below those of British universities. Having done so much it is sad that Sloss should have felt himself forced to resign in 1936 when one of the troubles was student strikes against the standard of examinations.
From Rangoon he went to Hongkong in 1937 as vice-chancellor, taking there also his concepts of university life, accepted now as integral in the development of higher education. On retirement in 1949 he took up residence in Oxford.
Wikipedia gives added perspective on the man and has the following:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duncan_Sloss
Picture from wikpedia "Sloss in 1945 at the liberation of Hong Kong"
