Professor
Dick Johnson
Secretary of the Department of Education
In office
13 December 1984 – 14 January 1985
Secretary of the Department of Education and Youth Affairs
In office
5 April 1984 – 13 December 1984
Personal details
Born
Richard St Clair Johnson

6 June 1929
Singapore
Died31 August 2019
Canberra
NationalityAustralia Australian
SpouseMary McAleer
ChildrenCatherine (b. 1956)
Peter (b. 1957)
Claire (b. 1959)
Terry (b. 1960)
James (b. 1961)
Judith (b. 1964)
Alma materUniversity of Sydney
OccupationAcademic
Public servant

Richard St Clair Johnson (6 June 1929 – 31 August 2019) was a former academic and senior Australian public servant.

Background and early life

Dick Johnson was born in Singapore, one of four children born to Australian parents. His father worked in the insurance industry in Asia.[1] He attended secondary schooling at the Jesuit Riverview College.[1] In 1946 Johnson began a double honours degree in Greek and Latin at the University of Sydney.[1]

Career

Johnson was Professor of Classics at the Australian National University from 1962 to 1984.[2] In his first year in the role, he established the Australian National University Classics Museum so that Canberra students could learn about ancient Greek and Roman objects.[3]

In April 1984, Johnson was appointed Secretary of the Department of Education (later, Education and Youth Affairs).[4][5] He left his role in January 1985, succeeded by Helen Williams, the first woman to become a departmental secretary in the Australian Government.[6][7]

References

  1. ^ a b c Johnson, Dick (29 October 2010). "Interview with Emeritus Professor Richard Johnson – classicist and educational philosopher" (Interview). Interviewed by Peter Stewart. Australian National University. Archived from the original on 22 January 2014.
  2. ^ Nation, Daryl; Evans, Terry (1996), Opening Education: Policies and Practices from Open and Distance Education, Routledge, ISBN 0-415-14182-6
  3. ^ "ANU museum unveils 2000-year-old lamp". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. 28 December 2011. Archived from the original on 22 January 2014.
  4. ^ "Government post for ANU man". The Canberra Times. 6 April 1984. p. 3. Archived from the original on 22 January 2014.
  5. ^ CA 3494: Department of Education and Youth Affairs, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, archived from the original on 16 March 2016, retrieved 22 January 2014
  6. ^ CA 4134: Department of Education [II], Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 22 January 2014
  7. ^ "First woman PS head named". The Canberra Times. 15 January 1985. p. 1. Archived from the original on 22 January 2014.
Government offices Preceded byHimselfas Secretary of the Department of Education and Youth Affairs Secretary of the Department of Education 1984 – 1985 Succeeded byHelen Williams Preceded byHelen Williams (Acting) Secretary of the Department of Education and Youth Affairs 1984 Succeeded byHimselfas Secretary of the Department of Education
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