KEY POINTS:
Owen Boscawen, the highly regarded head of Otahuhu College in the 1970s and 80s was deeply involved with the college for major parts of his life between 1938 and 1985.
He went there as a pupil, becoming a top scholar, head prefect and captain of the 1st XV.
Later he taught there and was headmaster from 1972-85.
Maurice Hall, a former head of Mt Albert Grammar School, said this week that Boscawen came to lead ambitious teachers preparing students successfully for the University Scholarship and Bursary exams. He also partnered Ken Gillies in coaching the 1st XV in Otahuhu's most successful years in the Auckland Secondary Schools senior rugby competition.
But while Boscawen was noted as a great educationist there were many other parts to his full life, including a lifelong love of botany and a shrewd interest in horse racing.
Little doubt though that education was his main strand. He approached life with enthusiasm. He approached being head of Otahuhu College with intensity. Friends and colleagues now know that more clearly because his application to be appointed as Otahuhu head - and what he planned for college, staff and pupils some 36 years ago - has survived. Not only survived, it was, by his command, made available to those who attended his funeral this week.
When he applied the college was, by consensus, slipping. Boscawen noticed a "9 to 3 outlook" in the teaching staff. His application under some 16 topic heads made it clear he wanted change.
His first ideas involved getting the college working better for the diverse mix of pupils at all levels of ability - even, unusually in those times, having Maori taught. And later the college gained a marae.
Boscawen's application also recalled hearing talk that Otahuhu College's programme must be quite good because so many past pupils succeeded at university.
"This argument has weaknesses - it could be said 'in spite of Otahuhu College'," he said.
Among his many initiatives for Otahuhu was the introduction of a house system that administered key elements of school life - sport, culture, academic achievements and general organisation.
He believed that by providing opportunities for students to meet regularly, senior students became role models and provided inspiration to juniors.
Boscawen's application mentioned discipline, in which he said: "Although I'm known for expressing my opposition to corporal punishment I certainly wouldn't ban it. In fact I'd be quite fearless in its application where necessary."
Boscawen advocated various staff meetings at which opinion could be sought.
"Ideally a democratic approach should be best." he said. "But where disagreements occur an autocratic approach must prevail."
Each year the staff went through the exam results for their pupils. Then Boscawen went through the lot.
He also once observed that teachers who did not like what they were being asked to do were quite welcome to get a job elsewhere.
After attending teacher training college, Boscawen joined the air force in World War II.
Born in Devonport, he was educated at Whangarei and Papatoetoe as well as Otahuhu and later at Auckland University, gaining a BSc and a BA.
He returned to secondary school teaching after the war as a biology teacher, spent a year teaching in California on a Fulbright Scholarship and held a Curriculum Development position at Auckland Secondary Teachers College before becoming Principal of Otahuhu College.
On retirement he applied his knowledge of biology to horticulture, establishing a successful commercial native tree and shrub nursery that still operates today. He was an active member of the Pakuranga Hunt Club.
Owen Boscawen, who died after a long battle with Parkinson's Disease, was twice married, first to Beverley and second to his present wife Mary. He is also survived by his son John and stepchildren Rachel, Gerard and Matthew.
His daughter Leanne was killed in a car accident in 1980 when only 20 years old.
Arnold Pickmere with Maurice Hall.
