Coleraine Academical Institution - Headteachers

Headteachers

Over the years the school has had a remarkable continuity of leadership, with nine headmasters spanning the school's existence of nearly 150 years.

• (1860–1870) Alex Waugh Young was CAI's founding principal and very little is known of him.
• (1870–1915) T.G. Houston served the school for 45 years, enjoying a long retirement in Portstewart until his death in 1939 at the age of 96.
• (1915–1927) Thomas James Beare – affectionately known as “Tommy John” – had a rather shorter tenure in office, until his premature retirement on health grounds in 1927.
• (1927–1955) Major William White – “The Chief” to generations of boys who both admired and feared him.
• (1955–1979) Dr George Humphreys, by whom the major physical expansion of the school was guided. Previously on the staff at Campbell College, Belfast, it was during his Headmastership that Inst became an H.M.C. school.
• (1979–1984) Dr Robert J. Rodgers, former headmaster of Bangor Grammar School, was headmaster of Inst until his appointment as Principal of Stranmillis Training College, Belfast.
• (1984–2003) R. Stanley Forsythe was appointed following a ten-year period as headmaster of The Royal School, Dungannon and remained in post until retirement.
• (2004–2007) Leonard F. Quigg was the first headmaster in the school’s history to have been promoted 'from within the ranks'. Quigg served as an assistant master, Head of English, Senior Master, as both junior and senior Vice Principal before his appointment as headmaster in January 2004. Mr Quigg retired in 2007.
• (2007 - )Dr David Carruthers is CAI's current headmaster. He was previously the Head of Mathematics at Royal Belfast Academical Institution.