John Dempster Doncaster

Founding Headmaster of The Selwyn School  John D. Doncaster, also known as JD, founding headmaster of the Selwyn School in Denton, Texas, died peacefully on November 18 days before turning 92 surrounded by his family in London, England.

John was born in Macclesfield, England, to Clarence Doncaster, a decorated WWI veteran, and Honor Collins. He grew up on a small farm. He attended the King's School Macclesfield, then Ardingly College. During WWII, he volunteered to pick potatoes at a local farm instead of attending classes. As a young man he hauled logs with a mule team. He served in the British Army and spent time in Berlin in the early 50s before attending University College Oxford earning a master's degree in English in spring 1954.

In the fall, John traveled to the United States to teach at the Graham-Eckes School in Palm Beach, Florida. During the summer break, he bought a pre-owned Jaguar MK IV and proceeded to drive across the USA. He ran out of money in Kansas City and began waiting tables at the upscale Putsch's 210 restaurant where he met a group of lunching ladies from North Texas. This connection led to a teaching position in the English department at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas for the fall of 1955.

At that time, a small group of Denton parents aspired to start a private K-12 school for their children. When they learned of an Oxford-educated Brit in North Texas, which was unique for the time, they approached John about establishing a school in the English tradition. Naively, the 25-year-old John agreed, and with a $100 loan from First State Bank of Denton, he rented a prairie-style building on Oakland Street near the Texas Woman's University (TWU) campus. There, Denton Preparatory School was founded in the fall of 1957.

In 1959, as the school flourished, it moved to a farm with acreage outside Denton and added a boys' boarding program. Classes were held in a farmhouse and a large red cattle barn converted into classrooms. In 1960, the first commencement was held near Unicorn Lake, which was named for the school's mascot, the Unicorn.

As the school continued to grow in enrollment, J. Newton Rayzor Sr. offered John 100 acres west of I-35 to build a campus. Denton Preparatory moved when the first building was complete, and in 1963 the school was renamed the Selwyn School in honor of Newton Rayzor's daughter. Buildings were added throughout the late 60s and 70s, with many designed by Denton native and architect O'Neil Ford. The school's boarding program, which had expanded to include girls, attracted students from the region and around the world.

The ethos of the school provided students with opportunities to excel in many ways. John believed education outside the classroom was as valuable as the traditional college prep done inside the classroom. Much of the curriculum involved outdoor activities including Saturday morning projects where students, faculty, and staff worked together to build patios, sidewalks, gardens, and many other campus improvement projects. This helped foster a tight community with a feeling of true ownership of the school. More community building activities included camping trips and ski trips as well as the Perspectives Program. All students were required to participate in a three-week educational Perspectives trip each March.

The first official Perspectives trip in 1971 began at Selwyn with John driving 10 senior students down the Pan-American Highway through Mexico, Central America, and landing in Panama. From there, the group flew over the Darién Jungle, also known as the Darién Gap, to stay and work on the San Blas Islands with the Kuna Indians. The 1973 Perspectives trip involved John and 13 students who, with the help of local guides, traversed the Gap from east to west, which was a route that had never been attempted. Other trips included sailing a wooden ship from Galveston to the Yucatan and back, following the Nile, kayaking the Sea of Cortez, underwater ecology in Honduras, building a school in Haiti, and many more.

In 1991, John and his wife, Robin, retired to Maine where they spent many years. He was an avid walker and led walking tours in Maine, France, Scotland, and England. John created his own expeditions with friends in Switzerland, Spain, Cuba, Nepal, and more. Upon Robin's death from cancer in 2012, John returned to England where he spent his remaining years.

Throughout John's life he served on many boards and organizations. He was President of each of the following at one time or another: The Headmasters' Association, Independent Schools Association of the Southwest, National Association of Independent Schools, The Rockport (Maine) Boat Club, and the Coastal Mountains Land Trust. He served on the board of Southwest Outward Bound, Outward Bound, St. Thomas' Church in Camden, Maine, and others.

In 2017, the Selwyn School relocated to Argyle, Texas, and is thriving with the same goals of student success and spirit of experiential education John implemented more than 66 years ago.

Robin, his wife of 47 years, preceded him in death. He is survived by his children Peter Doncaster (Kelley Hanger) of Dallas; Mellen and Susan West of Dallas; Angela West (Roger Noble) of Seal Cove, Maine; nephew Charles Sandy (Emma), nieces Helen Donovan (Patrick) and Ruth Brown (Edward), all of England; and granddaughter Amelia Mosby of Lynchburg, VA.

John requested all donations in his memory be made to:

The Selwyn School, Argyle, Texas

Coastal Mountains Land Trust, Camden, Maine

St. Thomas' Church, Camden, Maine