David Robertson

During a long and successful career, which encompassed almost every facet of education, from the time that he took up a post as a primary school teacher at Dundee High School to his reign from 1975 to 1989 as Director of Education of Tayside Region, he gained a reputation as one of the most respected figures in his field.

In his varied career he was a secondary school teacher, university lecturer, an active member of many educational committees and working parties and Chairman of the Dundee University Court. In between he found time to write numerous academic and newspaper articles on education.

Under his direction, Tayside's education authority became a benchmark for Scotland. He managed to balance the reality of politics without sacrificing his own high ideals and was renowned for the sensitive guidance he offered politicians.

Born in Dundee, Mr Robertson was educated at Morgan Academy. After leaving school in 1943 he joined the Royal Marines, and from 1945 to 1947 he was an education officer in the Royal Navy. He moved on to St Andrews University where he was a prize winning student, graduating with Honours in Modern Languages and Education. He completed his teacher training at Dundee College of Education.

Following his two-year spell at Dundee High he moved to teach languages at Dollar Academy before becoming Assistant Director of Education in Berwickshire from 1958-61. He then moved back to his home town to become Assistant Director of Education with special responsibility for further education. In 1964 he moved south to become Education Director for Selkirkshire, from 1964-72, before coming home to take up the post of Dundee Education Director. With local government reorganisation in 1975, he became Director for Tayside, until he retired in 1989.

From 1990 he was an honorary lecturer in education at Dundee University and became a member of the university court in 1992. The following year he became chairman and served during a time of unprecedented expansion and change. His contribution to Dundee University was marked last year when he was awarded an honorary LL.D.

He was a former president of the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland, a trustee for the Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges, a member of the Scottish Consultative Council on the Curriculum and Vice-President of the British Association for Early Childhood Education, a member of the Scottish Commission on Education and a president of the Scottish Institution of Adult Education.

He had many outside interests and in his younger days, won a hockey blue at St Andrews. But his main passion outside work was music. For 15 years he was president of the Scottish Amateur Music Association and from 1988 to 94, he was vice-chairman of the National Youth Orchestra for Scotland.