Rev. Alexander (Alec) Garden Fraser
| Alec Garden Fraser | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Alexander Garden Fraser 6 October 1873 Tillicoultry, Clackmannanshire, Scotland |
| Died | 27 January 1962 (aged 88) St Leonards, East Sussex |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Education | Merchiston Castle School, Edinburgh; Trinity College, Oxford |
| Occupation | |
| Known for | Founder and first principal of Prince of Wales College and School, Ghana |
| Term | 1924-1935 |
| Spouse(s) | Beatrice née Glass |
| Children | Alistair Garden Fraser; Alison |
| Parent(s) | Andrew Henderson Leith Fraser; Agnes Whitehead née Archibald |
Reverend Alexander Garden Fraser (1873-1962), MA, CBE, is one of the founders of Achimota School and the first Principal of the School (1924–1935). The other founders are Sir Frederick Gordon Guggisberg, former governor of the Gold Coast (1919–1927), and Dr. James Emman Kwegyir Aggrey, the first Assistant Vice Principal (1924–1927).
Rev. Alexander Garden Fraser, CBE, was born in Tillicoultry, Clackmannanshire, Scotland on 6 October 1873, the eldest son of Sir Andrew Henderson Leith Fraser (1848-1919), later Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, and his first wife Agnes Whitehead née Archibald ( -1879). Educated at Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh, and Trinity College, Oxford, he initially intended to study law, but became involved with the Student Volunteer Missionary Union. He was ordained and eventually became a renowned educationist and missionary. Prior to joining Achimota School, he was the Principal of the Trinity College, Ceylon, for the 20-year period from 1904 to 1924. Rev. Fraser is described as the greatest principal of Trinity College. To quote,
“Rev. A.G. Fraser brought the school from a mere provincial school to a national college. In his day (1904–1924), Trinity College became a multi-faceted educational institution, equal to that of any leading school in the British Commonwealth. In the days of Fraser, 17 different nationalities made use of the all-round education Trinity provided. He was an inspiring personality and yet truly self-sacrificing. All his best years were given to Trinity and all his efforts bore fruit. He had the power of persuasion, which he used to inspire brilliant men from Oxford and Cambridge to serve as Anglican missionaries at Trinity College. The decisions of Mr. Fraser were daring but far sighted. It was he who introduced the mother tongue and broke away from conventional subjects mostly imported from England. He introduced a diversified system of education with a strong bias towards national needs. Agriculture was introduced when it was not the practice in any other local school."
Rev. Fraser and the then vice principal of Trinity College are credited for the College Chapel's open design. The design is similar to Achimota's Aggrey Memorial Chapel that is also an open chapel.
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