Our Founder

John Corlette
1911-1977

John Hubert Christian Corlette was born on 21 June 1911 in London. From the age of 10, he attended Stowe School in Buckinghamshire until at the age of 16 he was sent to Switzerland for his health. Corlette attended Alpine College in Arveyes just outside Villars, eventually becoming Head Boy.

Corlette went on to follow in his father’s footsteps and trained as an architect. The beginning of his interest in the education of young people however was thought to have come at the outbreak of war. Anxious to support the war effort he took in three evacuees from London whilst living in the Cotswolds. He then approached his former Alpine College Headmaster, Channing-Pearce, who ran a small school at South Leigh in Oxfordshire to offer his services as a teacher. Corlette discovered he had a flair for teaching and so decided to read for his degree in education at Exeter College, Oxford.

Having obtained his degree, a chance meeting with Kurt Hahn brought about the opportunity to work at Gordonstoun where he found himself very much in sympathy with the principles of the School, remaining there until late in 1945.

By 1946 however, Corlette, or 'J.C.' as he became known, had decided that he would open a school of his own in Switzerland, in the area where he had attended and enjoyed school. He worked tirelessly to implement many of the principles of education which he had learned from Kurt Hahn, as well as interjecting many of his own procedures and school rules, that would allow students to be motivated and guided in becoming the holistic multi-cultural adults he envisioned as necessary servants of society at large.

From its modest beginnings over sixty years ago with only six students, Aiglon College has evolved into an international community of students and staff representing over fifty-eight nationalities. Education at Aiglon today remains firmly based on the guiding principles established by its Founder, at a time when many schools regarded education as nothing more than classroom lessons. Aiglon College continues to be a centre of inspiring education within and beyond the classroom.

John Corlette passed away on 9 December 1977. His legacy lives on vibrantly in the School he founded and among its alumni all over the world.
 

The John Corlette Scholarship Endowment Fund
The John Corlette Scholarship Endowment Fund was created to honour the memory, vision and achievements of an extraordinary man with a passion for the education and development of young people. The Fund supports scholarship and bursaries to provide opportunities for talented students of great potential, who would not otherwise be able to benefit from an inspiring education at Aiglon College.

Aiglon College Films
To view special footage from 1971 of John Corlette and Aiglon College filmed by Erik Friedl ('69), please visit our online archive. This film was commissioned by John Corlette and Joyce Lowe. Restoration and remastering of the original 16mm film was made possible by a generous grant from former students.

A collection of films have also been made available to the School by Richard Treadway ('67) showing student life at Aiglon in 1966.

Thank you to Erik and to Richard for their contributions.

Sources:Aiglon 25 (1974) by Patrick Roberts, With Wings as Eagles, (1999), Nigel Watson