Joseph Payne

Joseph Payne (2 March 1808 in Bury St Edmunds – 30 April 1876 in Bayswater) was an English educationalist and the first Professor of Education at the College of Preceptors in London. Early life Payne was born in Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk. He came to prominence as one of the most vocal adherents of the methods of Joseph Jacotot in England, publishing in 1830 an exposition of Jacotot's methods and lecturing to other teachers about education while teaching at a school in the New Kent Road, London. In 1838 he established Denmark Hill Grammar School with David Fletcher. Career In 1845 he opened the Mansion grammar school, at Leatherhead in Surrey. The school was very successful in exams and followed a detailed curriculum. Initially the pupils studied spelling and writing, history and geography, French, word and object lessons, arithmetic. As they progressed, English grammar, botany, and physics were added and at the age of 12, Latin German, mathematics, English literature, and physics were introduced. Chemistry would be added in the final two years. He retired from teaching in 1868 and began to write various textbooks and criticized elementary education in the England. He was also heavily involved in reforms and believed education could transform society. He was a founding member of the College of Preceptors and became its first Professor of science and art of education in 1873. He was one of the founders of the Women's Education Union, and he was also one of the original shareholders of the Girls' Public Day School Company which was created by the Union. Payne was also a member of the council of the Social Science Association and of the committees of the Kindergarten Association. Payne and Caroline Bishop are credited with founding the Froebel Society.