Elwyn Richardson

Who was Elwyn Richardson?

Elwyn Stuart Richardson, QSO, was a New Zealand educator. He is best known for his book In the Early World a record of the development of his educational philosophy while working at a small country school in Northland, New Zealand from 1949 to 1962. On the strength of his early work, the school was granted ‘experimental status’ by Clarence Beeby, Director of Education, a special consideration that allowed him to develop his own teaching methods and curriculum largely unimpeded by school inspectors. From 1969 -1972 Richardson worked at American universities as a visiting lecturer. Richardson is considered a significant figure in New Zealand education because of his own work and educational writings and the critical impact of his educational philosophy internationally.