BARR, John David

Time at School:  1971 – 2008

HOD Mathematics; HOD Computing

From the 2008 Magazine

At the end of the year, Mr. John Barr announced his retirement. John has spent most of his life at King’s. He was a pupil here from 1957 to 1962, having travelled just a few metres from MacAndrew Intermediate. A stint at Corstorphine School and Lawrence District High, a degree in mathematics and science and John was back at King’s in 1971, where basically he has stayed until now John has headed two departments, Mathematics and Computing, and outside the classroom has been most well-known for his role in managing and coaching basketball. In 1996, King’s, famously, had twenty-six teams entered in the Friday night basketball competition. In 1997, the 1stV was ranked third in the country and, in 1998, was ranked second in the country- a testament to John’s enthusiasm for the sport. John was also heavily involved in basketball at provincial and national level. For four years he was on the National Executive of Basketball New Zealand and, for seven years, was President of Basketball Otago.

John has also contributed hugely to his community through his involvement in Jaycees and Lions. Affable, undemonstrative, knowledgeable, John has devoted much of his life to King’s and we wish him well as he embarks on his well—earned retirement and his plans to spend more time with the family, to travel, to get into photography and music, the garden, the beach, the gym, reading, genealogy as well as continue his education in computing.