Wednesday 25 March 2015

Learning from the Landscape

I'm now in the second year of my PhD, focussing on the themes of citizenship and community during the early years of Newton Park Teacher Training College. My current task is a deep analysis of the archival documents relating to those founding years, under the leadership of Mary Dawson, the first Principal.
'It was recognised that this beautiful landscape must, of itself, educate the students' (Mary Dawson, 1946)
Picture: Kate James

Going through some of Miss Dawson's speeches, one theme repeats again and again. This is the idea that the historical environment of Newton Park was considered a learning resource in itself, in addition to the teaching the students received from their books, lecturers and school practices. 

The built environment and landscape of the park represents over a thousand years of English History. 
Mary Dawson wrote in 1954 that 'there is a sense in which the students are heirs of a rich culture with roots deep in time.' 

Ancient buildings - the stable at Newton Park today
Picture: Kate James
Newton Park gatehouse, where generations have passed to and fro
picture: Kate James
Miss Dawson, as a historian herself, became fascinated to discover as much of the history of Newton Park as she could, and she sought the help of Darlow and Molly Humphries. Professor Humphries, a governor of the college, taught at Bristol University and Molly was the college's own history lecturer. A file of papers accumulated by the Humphries is part of the archive collection, and demonstrates the research methods of the time. Back in the 1950s, each item of information was garnered through a painstaking series of letters or time-consuming visits with uncertain outcomes. Some of Professor Humphries correspondents were helpful, but many are guarded or protective of their sources. Some were even deliberately unhelpful.

Today we can look up digitised archive records instantly; so much has changed in the world of research. Newton Park has changed too, with new buildings and vastly more students, but at its heart it retains all the historical aspects so admired by Mary Dawson, Molly and Darlow Humphries

 Kate James



  


1950: Princess Elizabeth at Newton Park

Princess Elizabeth’s visit to Newton Park on 2nd March 1950 was highly anticipated and was widely broadcasted not just in local newspapers, but also national ones. One of the focuses of her visit was the iconic speech she gave, outlining the importance of education, gaining the perfect balance between working life and home life and the similarities to mothers and teachers.
A smiling Princess Elizabeth

With a young toddler to look after and pregnant with Princess Anne it is unsurprising that her speech drew emphasis on the world of motherhood. From her speech, it is apparent that Elizabeth herself would have been a very caring mother who clearly saw the importance of educating children, she compares the role of mother and the one of teaching as very similar; “we parents and you teachers are therefore colleagues in the great work of education.” Her emphasis on the role the parents play on the education of children would have rung true to some of the new student teachers as some of them would be mature students with children themselves who could perhaps see the parallels between teaching and parenthood.
The call for more teachers in the 1950’s came after the so called “baby boom” after the Second World War as well as the question of the compulsory schooling age being raised the UK found itself in a teacher shortage. By 1947 fifty five temporary teacher training colleges had been established,which were eventually mostly made permanent. By 1950 there still was not enough trained teachers to fulfil demand so further efforts were made to train more teachers, the opening of Newton Park by Princess Elizabeth would have been quite prolific. The speech she gave on that day sought to inspire and encourage young women into the world of teaching, she even refers to those who make teaching their profession as “satisfying the needs of the nation”, perhaps drawing on war-time like propaganda there.

Meeting the locals

The opening of Newton Park was a major stepping stone in Bath Spa University’s development and the speech given by Princess Elizabeth fifty five years ago has gone down in history. Her emphasis on the importance of education inspired women to enter the world of teaching and set Newton Park on its long and ongoing journey educating young minds.

Guest Post by Rebekah Driscoll, 2nd year History student 

Wednesday 4 March 2015

1950: A Royal Visit

Post- War Britain was a time of uncertainty. There were masses of debts on the country, and the once great Empire was in tatters. By March 1950, the country was beginning to recover from the great upheaval the Second World War had created, and there was a sincere bid by all to move forward in their lives, while still keeping a hold of some of the old traditions.

Though the Empire was not the power it once was, the Royal Family was still a large part of the social consciousness. The King had been the voice of a nation, along with Winston Churchill, during an uncertain and frightening time. The comfort of the Royal Family during the war, was something that the nation clung to. Following the War, there was still a thorough support for the Royal Family as they aided the nation to heal its wounds, and kept a sense of consistency for the public. The love for the Royal Family was demonstrated in many ways but the tour of Princess Elizabeth around the South West in March 1950, in particular in the crowds of people who flocked the streets and the newspapers’ reactions to the Royal visit is a particular example.

Princess Elizabeth is greeted at Newton Park, 2.3.50


The newspapers here at Bath Spa University in the archive provide a unique insight to how exciting the visit truly was for the general public, here in Bath, and into Bristol. The anticipation of the visit can be felt in the newspapers several days before the Princess’s arrival, often discussing her time at previous towns. There was also an eagerness of her visit here at the University, since the students had built an ark as a gift for the young Prince Charles.

Noah's Ark, made by first year students as a gift for the young Prince Charles
On the day of her coming to Newton Park, there was excitement throughout the town, and this is very much reflected in the publications. The newspapers are full of photographs of the crowds gathering in the streets, waving flags and cheering the Princess’s procession. There are also many photographs of the Princess here, at Newton Park. In many cases they fill the majority of the page, emphasising the importance of visual aid to journalism at the time. Another distinguishing feature of the journalism at the time is the description of the Princess’s clothing; ‘Princess Elizabeth wore the hyacinth blue coat and blue had with a curling osprey feather, shown in this specially-wired picture, when she visited Bath today’. This would have been for the benefit of the readers, since the photographs were in black and white. It would have helped the general public to become immersed in the visit, even if they were unable to attend. 
Section from one of the commemorative newspapers, 3.2.50


Princess Elizabeth’s visit to Bath and especially Newton Park College was an important turning point in its history and helped to establish the college as the place to be for teacher training. After all, it had a royal stamp of approval.

Guest Post by Jessica Bone, 2nd year History student