"King's College requires lower classes as feeders to its
upper forms. It also requires a normal class for the
training of teachers. The existence of the lower classes
will afford material for teaching to the teachers in
training. King's College, the leading school in the colony,
has but little chance of setting an example in the training
of character, so long as it only receives "secondary
pupils." Students will be attracted to the normal class by
liberal "Teachers' Scholarships" and will profit by their
association with the premier school. The new Code will make
important changes in the school course.
In the same year, the Principal of the College, Mr. McKee
Wright, made this
comment in the 'Annual Report of the Education Department,
Colony and Southern Provinces for the year 1914': "Our old
boys are all doing well in their several professions and
duties, and Oluwole, who gained honours in his first
professional examination at Glasgow University has done
credit to the teaching of the school ...". This report was
incidentally signed by the then Director of Education
Southern Provinces, Mr. G. H. Hyde-Johnson, who was
Principal of the School in 1910.
In November 1917, the School sustained a most tragic loss by
the death of the Principal, Mr. McKee Wright, who was
drowned on 'S.S. UMGENI'. He had contributed im- mensely in
moulding the college into its premier position in its early
years. The College however continued not only to receive
students from other schools like C.M.S. Grammar School and
Methodist Boys High School to be moulded into gentlemen, but
also to supply these schools with teachers who helped to
prepare their raw materials for life at King's College or
the world at large. Mr. J. A. de Gaye, who took over as
Acting Principal stated as follows in Capital Education
Annual Report 1917:
"It is gratifying to report that those who have taken up
teaching work have given satisfaction, with the result that
Principals of the secondary schools in Lagos have frequently
asked if the College could supply them with more teachers."
The Principalship of the College was vacant throughout the
year 1918, and the duties again fell on Mr. de Gaye, who was
later appointed the Inspector of Schools.
The year's Report went on to record that for the first time,
"athletic sports were held at the school.... The demand for
boys who have been through King's College continues to be
keen, and of the 25 who left the College in December, all
obtained appointments at once."1919, witnessed the beginning
of the long service of a distinguished Old Boy of King's
College as a member of staff. Mr. D. Ade Onojobi, popularly
called "D. Ade 0"
or "the Master" by the boys, entered King's College in 1909
and left in 1912. He first taught at Warri Government School
between 1914 and 1916 and later at Ibadan Govern- ment
School from 1916 — 1919. He thereafter joined the staff of
his Alma-Mater in 1919, until his retirement as English and
History Master in 1947. He is a living legend.
"D. Ade 0" is part of the King's College fabric.As an Old
Boy said in No. 23 of The Mermaid, November, 1947:"There is
one aspect of "his long and faithful service to the cause of
education" in Nigeria which I wish to underline, namely, his
benevolent exertions outside the classroom on behalf of the
welfare of his pupils especially his well-known Thursday
morning fatherly talk to his boys. The number of old boys
who owe their upright character and position in life to his
fatherly advice and example is difficult to over- estimate."
From the beginning of 1919 to September, Mr. D. L. Kerr
acted as the Principal and thereafter Mr. de Gaye, once
again took over until the arrival in December 1919 of the
new Principal, Captain H. A. A. F. Harman, B.Sc., who was
transferred from the Gold-Coast (Ghana) where he was for
eight years. Principal of the Government
