page_title: John Percival (bishop)
section_title: Career in education
hierarchical_section_title: John Percival (bishop) / Career in education
caption_attribution_description: English: John Percival
context_page_description: John Percival was the first headmaster of Clifton College, where he made his reputation as a great educator. In his 17 years at Clifton numbers rose to 680. He accepted the presidency of Trinity College, Oxford to recover from his years at Clifton. It was from Trinity that he went to Rugby to become headmaster of Rugby School before becoming Bishop of Hereford.
context_section_description: Percival was ordained deacon in 1860 and was offered a position as a master at Rugby School by the headmaster, Frederick Temple.  In 1862, Percival was appointed the first headmaster of Clifton College in Bristol, on Temple's recommendation.  Percival made this new school into a leading public school and he was also involved with other educational work in the city, helping to found Clifton High School for Girls (established in 1877). and University College, Bristol (1876).
  Percival became President of Trinity College, Oxford in January 1879.  Although he was not always happy as a college head, he was involved in the wider work of the university, chairing the committee that established Somerville Hall in 1879 and promoting the university's adult education work.
  In May 1887, Percival became headmaster of Rugby School, succeeding Thomas Jex-Blake. During his time as headmaster, he pursued a vigorous moral crusade.  His leadership soon improved the prestige of the school.  He attacked "idleness" and "loafing" and, concerned about "impurity", insisted that boys' football shorts should be worn below the knee and secured with elastic.  He acquired the nickname "Percival of the knees" as a result.
  In 1888, Percival's appointment of Marie Bethell Beauclerc to teach shorthand to classes of one hundred boys was the first appointment of a female teacher in an English boys' public school and the first time shorthand had been taught in any such school.
caption: John Percival as Headmaster of Clifton College, 1863.
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