David Johnstone entered St Leonard's Public School, Edinburgh, in 1883. He spent seven years at the school, followed by five years at George Heriot's Hospital School, Edinburgh. In this latter school he was in the same class as Drysdale and the two became friends (they went together when they first matriculated at Edinburgh University and appear in the Matriculation Album as consecutative entries). Johnstone gave his home address as 27 St Leonard Street when he first matriculated.
At George Heriot's, Johnstone sat the Leaving Certificate examinations and passed at Higher level English, Mathematics, French, and Latin (some in June 1894, some in June 1895). After having passed the Preliminary Examination, he first matriculated at Edinburgh University in October 1895. He studied Mathematics and Natural Philosophy at the Ordinary level between October 1895 and April 1896. In the following session he took courses in Logic, Psychology and Chemistry. He studied Latin during the summer of 1896 and 1897. He thejn concentrated on Mathematics and Natural Philosophy, taking these at Intermediate Honours level in 1896-97 and 1897-8 respectively, then both at Advanced Honours level in 1898-99 and 1899-1900. He graduated with an M.A. with Second Class Honours in Mathematics and Natural Philosophy in April 1900. He was awarded a B.Sc. (Pure) in the same year.
Johnstone joined the Edinburgh Mathematical Society in December 1900 after he graduated. By this time he was a Science Master at Spier's School, Beith. He soon moved back to the school where he himself had studied when appointed to George Heriot's School. He taught there for over 20 years before moving to the Provincial Training College, Edinburgh in around 1924.
Article by: J J O'Connor and E F Robertson
November 2007