{{Short description|New Zealand diplomat and educationalist (1902–1998)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2013}} {{Distinguish|CBeebies}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = C. E. Beeby | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|ONZ|CMG|size=100%}} | image = Clarence Edward Beeby (crop).jpg | alt = | caption = Beeby in 1959 | office = 4th New Zealand Ambassador to France | prime_minister = Walter Nash<br>Keith Holyoake | predecessor = Joseph Vivian Wilson | successor = Charles Craw | term_start = 1960 | term_end = 1964 | birth_name = Clarence Edward Beeby | birth_date = {{Birth date|1902|06|16|df=y}} | birth_place = Meanwood, Yorkshire, England | death_date = {{Death date and age|1998|03|10|1902|06|16|df=y}} | death_place = | spouse = {{marriage|Beatrice Newnham|1926|1991|end=d.}} | other_names = | occupation = Educationalist | years_active = | known_for = The development of the education system in New Zealand }}
'''Clarence Edward Beeby''' {{post-nominals|country=NZL|ONZ|CMG|size=85%}} (16 June 1902 – 10 March 1998), sometimes referred to as '''Beeb''', was a New Zealand educationalist and psychologist. He was influential in the development of the education system in New Zealand, first as a director of the New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER) from 1936, and then as Director of Education (head of the Ministry of Education) from 1940, initially under the First Labour Government. He also served as ambassador to France and on the UNESCO executive.
Beeby's wife Beatrice was one of the founders of the New Zealand Playcentre movement, and his son was the distinguished New Zealand diplomat and international lawyer, Chris Beeby,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/passing-distinguished-diplomat-chris-beeby | title=Passing of Distinguished Diplomat Chris Beeby | first=Phil | last=Goff | authorlink= Phil Goff | date=21 March 2000 | publisher=New Zealand Government}}</ref> portrayed in Ben Affleck's film, ''Argo''.
==Early life and education== Beeby was born in Meanwood, Leeds, Yorkshire, and immigrated with his family to New Zealand in 1906. He was educated at New Brighton School and Christchurch Boys' High School, and initially studied law at Canterbury College, before switching to Christchurch Training College to study primary teaching. Beeby met Beatrice Newnham while they were both undergraduate students and they were married in 1926. Beeby gained an MA in 1924, with a thesis titled ''The psychology of laughter and the comic''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NZ University Graduates 1870-1961 |url=http://shadowsoftime.co.nz/university2.html |access-date=2022-05-16 |website=shadowsoftime.co.nz}}</ref><ref>{{cite thesis |last=Beeby |first=Clarence |year=1923 |type=Masters thesis |title=The psychology of laughter and the comic |publisher=UC Research Repository, University of Canterbury |hdl=10092/13064 |doi=10.26021/4076 |url=https://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/handle/10092/13064}}</ref> and had been working as a part-time lecturer during the latter part of his studies. He worked for a PhD at Victoria University of Manchester, under the tutelage of Charles Spearman. Spearman's belief in a strong hereditary component to intelligence was to influence Beeby's later educational beliefs. Beeby was not fond of his given names, and elected from an early age to be known by his surname.
==Career== On returning from England, Beeby worked as a lecturer and then acting professor at Canterbury College, before taking up the position of director of NZCER. During this time, he developed a belief that all students had a right to continuing education, not just the most academically gifted. During this period, Beeby was noticed by Peter Fraser, the minister of education, and in 1939 was appointed assistant director of education. Beeby became director of education just prior to Fraser's ascension to prime minister.
After leaving the Ministry of Education, he served as ambassador to France from 1960 to 1963, and also was assistant director-general for UNESCO. Following the end of this term, he held positions at Harvard University and the Institute of Education University of London. In 1968 he returned to New Zealand, and continued to play an active role as researcher and consultant in both New Zealand and overseas. Beeby had a close working relationship with Bill Renwick, Director-General of Education from 1975 to 1987, and the two reviewed and discussed each other's work. Renwick wrote ''Portrait of a Reforming Director'' for ''The Beeby Fascicles'', presented to Beeby on his 90th birthday, and described Beeby as "his most thoughtful and constructive critic".<ref>{{Cite Q|Q113613441}}</ref>
==Honours and awards== Beeby was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal in 1953.<ref name="HBTQ">{{cite book |last1=Taylor |first1=Alister |last2=Coddington |first2=Deborah |authorlink1=Alister Taylor |authorlink2=Deborah Coddington |title=Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand |year=1994 |publisher=New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa |location=Auckland |isbn=0-908578-34-2 |page=62}}</ref> In the 1956 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=40789 |date=31 May 1956|page=3143| supp=3}}</ref> and in 1964 he was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Gregory the Great.<ref name="HBTQ"/> On 6 February 1987, Beeby was the second appointee to the Order of New Zealand, New Zealand's highest civilian honour.<ref name=induction01>"The Order of New Zealand" (12 February 1987) 20 ''New Zealand Gazette'' 705 at 709.</ref> In 1990, he was awarded the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.<ref name="HBTQ"/> He received honorary doctorates from the University of Canterbury, University of Otago, and Victoria University of Wellington.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.dnzb.govt.nz/dnzb/default.asp?Find_Quick.asp?PersonEssay=5B17 Dictionary of New Zealand Biography] entry. *The New Zealand Oxford English Dictionary. *Beeby, C.E. (1992) ''The Biography of an Idea''. Wellington: New Zealand Council for Educational Research. {{ISBN|0-908916-21-3}} [memoir] *Renwick, William L. "[http://www.ibe.unesco.org/publications/ThinkersPdf/beebye.PDF Clarence Edward Beeby]". On the UNESCO website ''Thinkers on Education''. Originally published in ''Prospects: the quarterly review of comparative education'', XXVIII, no. 2, June 1998, p. 335-348.
{{s-start}} {{s-dip}} {{s-bef|before= Joseph Vivian Wilson}} {{s-ttl|title= New Zealand Ambassador to France |years=1960–1964}} {{s-aft|after = Charles Craw}} {{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Order of New Zealand}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beeby, C. E.}} Category:1902 births Category:1998 deaths Category:Harvard University staff Category:Ambassadors of New Zealand to France Category:People from Meanwood Category:UNESCO officials Category:English emigrants to New Zealand Category:University of Canterbury alumni Category:New Zealand Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George Category:Members of the Order of New Zealand Category:People educated at Christchurch Boys' High School Category:New Zealand officials of the United Nations Category:New Zealand educational theorists Category:Christchurch College of Education alumni Category:20th-century New Zealand educators Category:20th-century New Zealand public servants Category:20th-century educational theorists