The Donal Robertson School
Donald Robertson was the master of an early grade school which educated several important American Founders.
Donald Robertson
Donald Robertson was born and raised in Scotland where he received an exemplary education.
Seeing an opportunity to excel, Robertson decided to immigrate to North America as a 36-year-old.
He arrived in Virginia where he immediately took up a career as private tutor to the children of John Bayard.
Virginian Tutor
After five years educating the Bayard kids as well as some of their neighbors, Donald noticed an opening.
Robertson realized that the only real option for a secondary education available to most children in Virginia was a trip to Europe.
Many families of a middling income either did not want to or could not afford to send their teenagers across the ocean.
Donald decided to open the Robertson School.
The Robertson School
Robertson operated his school from his farm for fifteen years between 1758 and 1773.
During these years, dozens of future Founders received their education there.
Among these were George Rogers Clark, John Tyler, Robert Brooke, John Taylor of Caroline and James Innes.
Of all his students, the most famous was future President and Father of the Constitution James Madison.
Curriculum
While at the Robertson School, Donald gave students a well rounded education including mathematics and chemistry. Notably, the teenagers became fluent in Latin and Greek.
It has been said that studying Law and Philosophy under Robertson had more influence on James Madison’s understanding of the world than any other person.
As the Revolutionary War began, Donald Robertson retired to the life of a simple farmer, but his teachings had a wide reaching impact on the creation of the United States of America.
I have written several articles about men who educated the Founders.
Here are a few of my favorites:
Samuel Finley and the West Nottingham Academy
The Students of Edward Holyoke
Now that the 2020 election is over, it is nice to be reminded of a sentiment expressed by Thomas Jefferson at his inauguration.
This is one of a handful of products I’ve begun offering with quotes from the Founders on them. If you see something you like, pick it up to support this site!
“We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists,” is a quote from Thomas Jefferson’s First Inaugural Address as President of the United States.
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