"SPEAKING OF UNION STREET ..... "

Reminiscences of Newcastle Teachers* College 1949 - 1973

FOREWORD

This random collectLon of r e f l e c t i o n s and anecdotes about t h e twenty-four

years of t h e Newcastle Teachers' College a t Union S t r e e t , Cooks H i l l

(before the metamorphosis i n t o the C.A.E. and then i n t o t h e I n s t i t u t e

took p lace) has been contr ibuted by some members of N.E.R.L.A. (The

Retired Lecturers ' Associat ion) and by two of t h e pioneer s tuden t s .

The collection has been made t o mark t h e Austral ian Bicentennia l

Celebra t ions , 1988 and Forty Years of Teacher Educatlon i n the

IIunter Region.

Many p e r s o n a l i t i e s emerge from these pages, those of t h e c o n t r i b u t o r s

themselves, and i n t h e i r anecdotes , those of t h e S ta f f and Students of

the e a r l y years of t h e College appearing through t h e eyes of good humour

and a f f e c t i o n .

An overr id ing impression t o be gained from reading through these pages is

t h e Inf luence on t h e minds and h e a r t s of a l l who knew him of t h e

College 's founding P r inc ipa l , G. H. Duncan. This publ ica t ion was

o r i g i n a l l y intended t o se rve a s a reminder t o him and t o ourse lves of

those v i t a l e a r l y years . Sadly however, G r i f f . died before our p lans

were implemented and from t h i s circumstance, t h e backward glance ga ins i n

s l g n i f icance.

My t a sk has been t o put t og the r these reminiscences i n t o t h e i r present

format. In doing s o I sought and was generously provided wi th a s s i s t a n c e

from the publishing and p r i n t i n g personnel, t h e word-processing s t a f f and

from t h e resources of t he I n s t i t u t e .

J e s s Dyce

CONTENTS

I n Memoriam: G r i f f i t h Hammond Duncan .. . . . . . . Bert Wood P re s iden t , N E R L A.

Morning Tea a t Union S t r e e t .. . . . . . . . . . . Bert Wood a s Former Head of

t he Engl ish Department

The Foundtng Years - 1949 and Af t e r .. . . . . . . Alan Barcan Former Lec turer i n H i s to ry and S o c i a l S tud i e s Nethod

Former Associate-Professor of Education, Newcastle Un ive r s i t y

Joe Fanatomy . . . . . . . . . . . . Huldah Turner Former Vice-Principal of N T C

.. .. From a Pioneer Student . . . . . . .A Noel Pryde Senior Lec turer i n S o c i a l Sciences

More Remtniscences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vic Rooney an E a r l y Student of t h e College

The I n d u s t r i a l A r t s Scene; Blue Flood . . . . . . . . W E Wilcox Former Head of t h e

I n d u s t r i a l A r t s Department

Ear ly College Spor t lng Visits . . . . . . . . .. Harold G i l l a r d Former Head of t h e

Department of Phys i ca l Education

Camp Songs of t h e Ear ly Years . . . . . . . . . . L e i l a Rarclay Former Lec turer i n Needlework

A H o w l e r o r T w o .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P h i l Va i l e Lec turer i n S o c i a l Sciences

Twenty Years of Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Morris Graham Former Senior Lec turer and Head of t h e

Department of S o c i a l Sciences

I n P r a i s e of S tudents - P a s t and Presen t . . . . . . Paul ine C la rk Former Lec turer i n Home Economics

Ear ly Performances o f "G. and S." . . . . . . . . . . Jess Ferguson Former Head of t h e Music Department

The S t o r y of Drama (1951-1961) a t N.T.C. . . . . . . Huldah Turner

College Drama 1951-1973 .. . . . . . . . . . . . . Jess Dyce Former P r t n c i p a l Lecturer i n Engl ish

I N MEMORIAM

GRIFFITH HAMMOND DUNCAN, M.A.,Dip.Ed..,M.Ed.,F.A,C. E.,O.B.E.

P r i n c i p a l of t h e Co l l ege , 1949-1975

The Shadow of G r i f f . Duncan's d e a t h ha s f a l l e n a c r o s s our C e l e b r a t i o n s

w i t h a consequent s ense of dismay and l o s s amongst t hose who c o n s t i t u t e

t h e R e t i r e d L e c t u r e r s ' As soc i a t i on ; f o r n o t t o have G r i f f . p r e s e n t a t

t h e s e c e l e b r a t i o n s would seem t o be a n unheard-of t h i n g . That t h i s is

n o t a mere nominal sen t iment is a t t e s t e d by t h e unique p l a c e h e h a s he ld

i n t h e minds and h e a r t s of t h o s e who worked w i t h him, s t a f f and s t u d e n t s

a l i k e , d u r i n g h i s 26 y e a r s a s P r i n c i p a l . H i s e x c e p t i o n a l q u a l i t i e s a s a n

a d m i n i s t r a t o r , and a s a human be ing communicated themselves t o a l l .

Marked o u t from h i s schooldays f o r academic succe s s , G r i f f . ' ~ b r i l l i a n t

Sydney Un ive r s i t y c a r e e r l e d him q u i c k l y from c lass room t each ing t o

l e c t u r e s h i p s , and u l t i m a t e l y t o t h e p o s i t i o n of P r i n c i p a l a t t h e

newly-establ ished Newcastle Teachers ' Col lege a t t h e e a r l y age of 3 4 .

The oppo r tun i t y t o p ioneer t e r t i a r y educa t i on i n h i s home t e r r i t o r y of

t h e Hunter was a cha l l enge which s u i t e d h i s consuming i n t e r e s t i n

Educat ion, h i s d r i v e , h i s energy and commitment, and h i s q u a l i t i e s of

mind. H e accep ted a n a lmost un l imi ted a u t h o r i t y t o deve lop a new

e s t ab l i shmen t t o have t h e w ides t rang? of Teacher-Education cou r se s i n

A u s t r a l i a , and s o t o e s t a b l i s h t h e impurcanct of t h e r e g i o n f o r f u r t h e r

t e r t i a r y educa t i on development.

Though i n i t i a l l y l i m i t e d t o two-year Col lege cou r se s , G r i f f . always he ld

t h e view t h a t t e a c h e r s should have i n i t i a l g r adua t e s t a t u s , and t h a t ou r

two-year t r a i n e d t e a c h e r s were " too good f o r t h e i r own good". Over h i s

pe r iod a s P r i n c i p a l h e guided t h e Col lege from Education Department

sponso r sh ip towards independence and c o r p o r a t e s t a t u s , and t h e nece s sa ry

development of cou r se s o t h e r than Teacher Education. A t f i r s t he

envisaged involvement wi th t h e new Un ive r s i t y , but when t h i s proved

d i f f i c u l t , favoured t h e f u r t h e r development of t h e Col lege a s a s e p a r a t e

degree-gran t ing body, much l i k e t h e Engl i sh Po ly technics ; i t s r e a l i s a t i o n

i n t h e C.A.E. and The Hunter I n s t i t u t e of Higher Education owes much t o

h i s v i s i o n and i n f l u e n c e . The award of a n O.B.E. i n 1968 marked a

nat ionwide r ecogn i t i on .

When one cons ide r s t h e q u a l i t i e s t h a t a r e impor tan t amongst human be ings ,

i t i s c l e a r t h a t Griff.Duncan was r i c h l y endowed wi th them. "Sympathy,

t o l e r a n c e , and good humour - t h e s e a r e t h e t h i n g s t h a t r e a l l y matter. . . ."

i s t h e summation of one g r e a t w r i t e r . They subsume of cou r se

pe r cep t i venes s , q u a l i t y o f mind, s e n s i t i v i t y , i n t e g r i t y , and a c o n v i c t i o n

t h a t pe r sona l r e l a t i o n s a r e of supreme importance i n t h e scheme of

t h i n g s . A s P r i n c i p a l , G r i f f . ' ~ door was always open and h e was always

t h e r e ; he l i k e d people and loved no th ing b e t t e r than t o t a l k w i t h them.

He had an e a s e of conversa t ion a t a l l l e v e l s , a wonderful memory f o r

f a c e s ; b u t he l i k e d no th ing b e t t e r than a deep d i s c u s s i o n o r even a n

argument about a b s t r a c t i d e a s and p r i n c i p l e s . Then t h e q u a l i t y of h i s

mind would b rush o f f on one. Impat ien t w i th slow t h i n k e r s , h e would

sometimes t a k e over and shape t h e i r thoughts f o r them, bu t he was w e l l

aware of t h i s f o i b l e , and with disarming humi l i t y r e a d i l y spo loq i s ed f o r

i t . I n t h e same ve in he was never dogmatic, c h a r a c t e r i s t i c a l l y s ay ing ,

"I might be wrong, b u t .......".

A l l of u s who worked with him f e e l d iminished and sad t h a t h e i s no

l onge r w i th us t o c e l e b r a t e h i s achievements. J u s t t o have known such a

man i s however, t o have been aware of a s ense of i nhe ren t but unassuming

g r e a t n e s s , t h e b r i g h t n e s s of which w f l l n o t d imin i sh wi th t h e pa s s ing of

t ime.

B. L. Wood

P r e s i d e n t , R e t i r e d L e c t u r e r s ' Assoc ia t ion

MORNING TEA AT UNION STREET

Bert Wood

Morning t e a a t Union S t r e e t was always looked forward t o by members o f

s t a f f , who crowded i n t o t h e p leasant room a t t h e C o r l e t t e S t r e e t end of

t he main block, with i t s c l ean white t a b l e c l o t h s , vases of f lowers ,

sweet b i s c u i t s , scones, and on t reasured occas ions , cream puf f s made by

Ada Renwick. Rostered s t a f f members made t h e t e a a t s t r a t e g i c t imes i n

prepara t ion f o r t h e 11 a.m. i n f l u x of s t a f f members, and q u i t e o f t e n ,

t h e i r v i s i t o r s .

Conviv ia l i ty ru l ed , l igh t -hear ted argunent , d i scuss ion , and f r i e n d l y

ban te r were t h e order of t h e day, bu t t h e occasion was n o t q u i t e complete

u n t i l G r i f f . a r r i v e d from t h e o the r end of t h e bui ld ing , w i th usua l ly a

word o r two of gene ra l i n t e r e s t , t o be handed a cup of t e a . Af ter t h e

usual c o u r t e s i e s he then l i k e d t o home i n on any group t h a t had an

animated di.scussion going.

When t h e r e were v i s i t o r s G r i f f . l i k e d t o welcome them again informally a t

t hese ga the r ings , be they Inspec tors of Schools, v i s i t o r s from other

Colleges, s t a f f from t h e Junct ion School a r ranging Demonstrations, o r

V.I.P. from t h e community.

On one occasion the well-knovn Aust ra l ian n o v e l i s t , t h e l a t e Kylie

Tennant was t h e r e v i s i t i n g o l d f r i e n d s , J e s s Dyce and myself, who had

known he r a t t he country town of Canowindra when she was wr i t ing her

f i r s t novel Tiburon and ga ther ing ma te r i a l t he The B a t t l e r s . Many

nenbers of s t a f f had t a lked t o h e r , but a l l waited wi th some expecta t ion

t h e s p e c i a l welcome t h a t G r i f f . would g ive h e r when he a r r ived .

He was unusua l l y de layed however on t h i s p a r t i c u l a r morning and t h e r e was

a f e e l i n g o f mi ld concern on t h e v i s i t o r ' s k e h a l f a t ?,is non-appgarance.

Then h e came i n , took h i s cup of t e a from L e i l a W h i t t l e , wa i ted u n t i l a l l

a t t e n t i o n was focussed on him, paused d r a m a t i c a l l y , and t hen announced i n

s p e c i a l tones :

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a t h i e f i n ou r midst" .

There was a moment o f c o n s t e r n a t i o n and embarrased l a u q h t e r which G r i f f .

r e a c t e d t o i n s t a n t l y , becoming aware of t h e Co l l ege ' s honoured g u e s t , and

ha s t en ing t o r e c t i f y t h e s i t u a t i o n a p o l o g e t i c a l l v and s k i l f u l l y . He bad

been de layed , h e exp l a ined , by a t e a r f u l s t u d e n t who had cashed h e r

s c h o l a r s h i p cheque and had had t h e money a l l s t o l e n from h e r l o c k e r

du r ing t h e p rev ious l e c t u r e pe r i od .

It was t h e f i r s t t ime i n t h e Co l l ege ' s b r i e f h i s t o r y t h a t any th ing r e a l l y

unp leasan t had occur red , and G r i f f . seemed t o h z registering n o t o n l y t h e

s t u d e n t ' s l o s s , but a l s o some s l i g h t d iminut ion of t h e esteem which we

a l l f e l t f o r t h i s , t h e newest o f t h e S t a t e ' s Col le3es .

With h e r i n t i m a t e knowledge o f t h e joys and sorrows of The B a t t l e r s , I

t h i n k K y l i e Tennant unders tood t h e s i t u a t i o n p e r f e c t l y , and w i t h t h e r e s t

of u s murmured sympa the t i c a l l y .

Morning Tea a t Ynlon S t ree t

THE FOUNDING YEARS - 1949 AND AFTER

Alan Barcan

I a r r i v e d a t Newcastle Teachers ' Col lege a month a f t e r i t opened. One

F r iday i n March 1949, w h i l e t e ach ing a t North Sydney Boys' High, I

r e c e i v e d a message t o r e p o r t immediately a f t e r s choo l t o Head Of f i c e . I

p r e sen t ed myse l f , w i t h some t r e p i d a t i o n , t o M r . I n s p e c t o r Jack Back ( a

fo rmidab le f i g u r e ) , who asked m e whether I would l i k e t o be seconded t o

Newcastle Teacher ' s Col lege f o r two y e a r s as l e c t u r e r i n H i s t o r y and

H i s to ry Method. It had j u s t opened a s a t r a i n i n g c o l l e g e f o r primary

t e a c h e r s . "You've had p l e n t y of expe r i ence t e ach ing F i r s t Years, haven ' t

you?" Back asked. I agreed t h a t I had, and accep ted h i s o f f e r .

So t h e fo l l owing Monday, a steamy day, I a r r i v e d i n Newcastle and

p r e sen t ed myself t o t h e P r i n c i p a l , G.H.Duncan. The Newcastle Col lege was

t empora r i l y l o c a t e d i n t h e manual arts wing of b u i l d i n g s being

cons t ruc t ed f o r Newcastle Technica l High School , which i n t u r n was

t empora r i l y accommodated i n t h e Technica l Col lege bu i l d ings a t Tighes

H i l l . I fotind Newcastle Teachers ' Col lege t o be a t Broadmeadow, oppos i t e

t h e r a cecou r se and conven i en t l y c l o s e t o t h e Premier Hotel . The

s t u d e n t s , s a i d G r i f f . , were o u t i n t h e s c h o o l s , observ ing , u n t i l work on

t h e wing we were t o occupy was completed.

I d i scovered t h a t I owed my appointment t o Don Aitken, a l e c t u r e r i n

Education a t t h e Col lege. The p o s t had o r i g i n a l l y been o f f e r e d t o G i l

Hugheson, who was a t Armidale High School. He had decided n o t t o t a k e it

up, be ing unsu re whether h e would be a b l e t o f i n d accommodation f o r h i s

fami ly . Idhen t h e unexpected vacancy occur red , Don Aitken mentioned my

name t o Griff.Duncan. I had no accommodation problems, be ing a bache lor

and a t age 27 t h e youngest on t h e s t a f f . I t r a v e l l e d t o Sydney each

F r iday n i g h t by t h e "F lyer" , r e t u r n i n g t o Newcastle Sunday n i g h t .

La te r I met G i l Hugheson, when I was i n Canberra i n 1959-61 working on my

d o c t o r a l t h e s i s . He was t h e head of Lyneham Hlsh School. He was a l s o

chairman of t h e l o c a l branch of t h e New Educat ion Fel lowship, and I

became s e c r e t a r y .

Don Aitken was a b i t of a c h a r a c t e r . I had been i n t h e same H i s to ry

Honours c l a s s w i th him a t Sydney Un ive r s i t y i n 1945. F o r t u n a t e l y , I had

no t offended him - though t h a t would no t have been d i f f i c u l t t o do. So

he remembered me favourab ly and suggested me t o Griff .Duncan a s a n

a l t e r n a t i v e t o Hugheson.

We became f r i e n d s , though i n a sma l l s t a f f - on ly 1 4 by 1950, I t h i n k - r e l a t i o n s were p r e t t y good a l l round. We were a l l l e a r n i n g , Don had a

qu ick mind, an Aus t r a l i an s cep t i c i sm , and an impress tve a b i l i t y t o r e t a i n

f a c t s . He had a n answer f o r every th ing . It might n o t be t h e r i g h t

answer, bu t he would qu i ck ly v o i c e i t w i th conf idence and a u t h o r i t y . Don

was i n t e r e s t e d i n d r i n k i n g and horse-racing. Soon a sma l l number o f

s t a f f and a l a r g e r number of s t u d e n t s formed t h e Premier Club. On one

occasion when Griff.Duncan, anxious t o check on s t u d e n t d r i n k i n g , e n t e r e d

t h e Premier p u b l i c b a r by one doo r , Don h a s t i l y took h i s e x i t through

another . He, t o o , t r a v e l l e d t o Sydney each weekend, and was t h u s anx ious

t o l e a v e Col lege on t ime , i f n o t a l i t t l e before . The "Flyer" l e f t a t 5

p.m.. During one Fr iday a f t e rnoon s t a f f meeting he placed an a larm c l o c k

i n s i d e t h e cupboard. When i t went o f f l a t e i n t h e meeting i t produced a

welcome d ive r s i on .

Because of h i s memory and conf idence Don Aitken r a r e l y p repared l e c t u r e

no tes . On one occas ion when he was i n f u l l f l i g h t a b reeze came through

a window and blew h i s papers o f f t h e l e c t e r n and on to t h e f l o o r . A

h e l p f u l male s t u d e n t came forward and picked them up. "Why, t h e r e ' s

no th ing on them", he s a i d t o Don. "Shush", Don r e p l i e d , "don ' t l e t t h e

o t h e r s know!" On ano the r occas ion he was l e c t u r i n g t h e i n f a n t s s e c t i o n .

"And why d i d you l a d i e s dec ide t o t a k e up teach ing?" he asked. One

whispy-haired a t t r a c t i v e g i r l responded: "Because I am fond of

c h i l d r en . " "Well, I can t h i n k of o t h e r t h i n g s you could do i f you ' r e

fond of ch i l d r en" , Don remarked. The poor g i r l blushed.

L a t e r on Don purchased h a l f a l o c a l Newcastle h o r s e - b u t on l o o k i n g a t

i t s t e e t h s o l d o u t r a t h e r h u r r i e d l y .

A s a l e c t u r e r i n H i s t o r y I worked i n c l o s e a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h Ted Crago,

l e c t u r e r i n Geography Method. Ted, who had a Scou t ing background, h e l p e d

o r g a n i s e p r o v i s i o n s f o r t h e C o l l e g e Camps a t C a s t l e r e a g h and Broken Bay.

I was h i s a s s i s t a n t . To s a v e money w e c a t e r e d o u r s e l v e s , h i r i n g a cook,

and purchas ing p r o v i s i o n s th rough a wholesa le s t o r e . I c a n r e c a l l Ted

working th rough t h e l i s t o f goods t o be purchased , w h i l e I pre tended t o

a s s i s t him. "I t h i n k we w i l l need 40, w e l l perhaps 35, t i n s o f p i e

peaches". Ted h a s a s low, d e l i b e r a t e e n u n c i a t i o n . A s h e spoke h e made

my mouth w a t e r . Ted d rove h i s c a r t o t h e C a s t l e r e a g h camp. On one

o c c a s i o n a f t e r ' l i g h t s o u t ' a n amorous c o u p l e found t h e back s e a t

comfor tab le . But Ted and a n o t h e r member o f t h e l a t e - n i g h t p a t r o l

d i s t u r b e d them.

The young l e c t u r e r s n a t u r a l l y found much i n common. Harry G i l l a r d

( P h y s i c a l Educa t ion) became a c l o s e f r i e n d . We somet ines exchanqed views

on Col lege m a t t e r s i n t h e Premier a f t e r l e c t u r e s ceased a t 4.15p.m. - though w e were b o t h moderate d r i n k e r s . T h i s was one p l a c e t o g e t t o know

t h e more r e s p o n s i b l e male s t u d e n t s . Another way was th rough s p o r t . Like

some o t h e r l e c t u r e r s , I he lped o u t by a t t e n d i n g one o f t h e v a r i o u s teams

on s p o r t s a f t e r n o o n . I n 1950 I accompanied Harry and illargaret M e l v i l l e ,

t h e women's Phys.Ed. l e c t u r e r , when a busload o f s t u d e n t s v i s i t e d

Armidale Teachers ' C o l l e g e f o r i n t e r - c o l l e g i a t e s p o r t s . The C o a l f i e l d s

boys c o n s t i t u t e d a s o l i d c o n t i n g e n t i n t h e s p o r t s teams. It was a good

o c c a s i o n t o g e t t o know s t u d e n t s , a s w e l l a s l e c t u r e r s , t h e Armidale

l e c t u r e r s .

The l e c t u r i n g s t a f f h e l d t h e i r own s o c i a l g a t h e r i n g s . I n i t i a l l y t h e s e

were i n homes, where t h e wives e x c e l l e d i n p r o v i d i n g a t t r a c t i v e s u p p e r s

such a s a young b a c h e l o r l i k e myself was q u i t e unused t o . L a t e r , s t a f f

s o c i a l s were h e l d a t r e g u l a r i n t e r v a l s - a b o u t once a term - e i t h e r i n

t h e Col lege Assembly H a l l (once i t was b u i l t ) o r i n some bowling c l u b

which Harry G i l l a r d knew. Dancing, c o n v e r s a t i o n and supper were

impor tan t items. Again, t h e y o u n g s t e r s tended t o congrega te t o g e t h e r on

t h e s e occas ions . I r e c a l l R u s s e l l Doust , t h e Col lege L i b r a r i a n (and

e v e n t u a l l y Chief L i b r a r i a n of t h e N.S.W. P u b l i c L i b r a r y ) , Don McKay, and

a few o t h e r s would form a l i t t l e c i r c l e t o make o u r r e g u l a r , semi -pr iva te

t o a s t - "Confusion t o t h e College!" A l a s , i n view of l a t e r e v e n t s , our

t o a s t was perhaps t o o e f f e c t i v e .

I found J i m S t a i n e s , G r i f f . ' ~ Vice P r i n c i p a l , h e l p f u l t o me as a new

member o f s t a f f . I n my f i r s t few weeks h e s p e n t some t ime e x p l a i n i n g t o

my o b t u s e mind how weekly demonstration l e s s o n s were s l o t t e d i n t o t h e

weekly programme, a s w e l l a s ways o f h a n d l i n g p r a c t i c e t each ing . H e was

i n t e r e s t e d i n psychology, b u t a l s o i n s o c i o l o g y , p o l i t i c s and e d u c a t i o n a l

t h e o r y , and I b e n e f i t e d from o u r f r e q u e n t t a l k s . Fie w a s t a l l and s t i l l

q u i t e young - we a l l were - w i t h b i g brown e y e s which a t t r a c t e d t h e

a d m i r a t i o n o f n o t a few female s t u d e n t s .

Women made up two-thi rds of t h e 140 members of t h e p ioneer s e s s i o n , as

t h e f i r s t i n t a k e was c a l l e d . I found most o f them good n a t u r e d , sunny,

and r e a s o n a b l y keen on work. However, I was a s e r i o u s young man w i t h a

p o l i t i c a l phi losophy and attempting t o develop a n e d u c a t i o n a l

phi losophy. The s t u d e n t s were mainly i n t e r e s t e d i n a good t ime. For

many o f them t h e s e two y e a r s were t o prove t h e b e s t i n t h e i r l i v e s . Many

permanent f r i e n d s h i p s - and some mar r iages - were i n c u b a t e d . I enjoyed

t h e weekly Col lege dances , which were a t t e n d e d by some members o f s t a f f .

But I was n o t tempted. I had q u i t e a d i f f e r e n t and s e p a r a t e Sydney l i f e .

A f t e r a w h i l e I boarded w i t h t h e P r e s i d e n t o f t h e S t u d e n t s ' A s s o c i a t i o n ,

M-ick Hannan. Mick was a n o l d e r man, l i k e myself a n ex-serviceman. He

had been a postman b e f o r e t h e war, b u t t h e C.R.T.S. gave him a second

chance, and h e tu rned up a t Newcastle Col lege , w i t h a s c a t t e r i n g of o t h e r

ex-servicemen. I c o n s u l t e d Griff .Duncan, and a f t e r zone thought we

agreed t h a t i t would n o t b e improper i f I were t o board w i t h Mick and h i s

w i f e , P a u l i n e . Mick had t h e f a i r , open f a c e o f a C e l t and t h e shrewd,

whimsical tongue o f a n I r ishman.

I l e c t u r e d i n C u l t u r a l H i s t o r y i n F i r s t Year f o r one hour a week,

t r a v e r s i n g t h e complete span o f h i s t o r y from Paleolithic Man t o 1949 i n

twenty-four l e c t u r e s . I a l s o l e c t u r e d i n H i s t o r y Method ( S o c i a l S t u d i e s

d i d n o t e s t a b l i s h i t s e l f i n t h e Primary School u n t i l 1353) . I n Second

Year I l e c t u r e d two hours a week i n A u s t r a l i a n His to ry . I found t h e

combination o f world h i s t o r y and A u s t r a l i a n h i s t o r y most s t i m u l a t i n g - whether t h e s t u d e n t s b e n e f i t e d a s much i s ano the r ma t t e r . Each l e c t u r e

was r epea t ed f o u r t imes - t h e r e were fLve s e c t i o n s . I was a d v i s e r t o

S e c t i o n 491. I was a l s o P r i n c i p a l ' s r e p r e s e n t a t i v e on t h e S tuden t s '

Counci l , probably because o f my exper ience i n s t u d e n t a c t i v i t i e s a few

y e a r s b e f o r e a t Sydney Un ive r s i t y .

We c a l l e d t h e r o l l a t t h e beginning of each l e c t u r e . Hilda McIntosh,

l e c t u r e r i n Music, had some d i f f i c u l t i e s here . The C o a l f i e l d s l a d s were

o f t e n up t o misch ie f . They invented a phantom s t u d e n t , Joe Fanstomy,

whose name was answered r e g u l a r l y a t r o l l c a l l s f o r t h e b e s t p a r t o f t h e

yea r .

I r e c a l l a n i n c i d e n t about t h e middle of 1950, when I was l e c t u r i n g i n

A u s t r a l i a n H i s to ry t o S e c t i o n 495, now i n Second Year. Th is was normally

a p l e a s a n t , a t t e n t i v e s e c t i o n . I was s u r p r i s e d t o f i n d a s t u d e n t i n one

o f t h e f r o n t s e a t s - a q u i t e a t t r a c t i v e , fun-loving t ype , no t v e r y much

i n t e r e s t e d i n H i s t o r y - gas v e r y busy engaged i n r e ad ing n o t e s passed t o

h e r and w r i t i n g r e p l i e s . D i s c i p l i n e w a s n o t u s u a l l y a problem, bu t I

f e l t I cou ld n o t i gno re t h i s , f o r s h e was s i t t i n g r i g h t under my nose.

"I d o n ' t mind you n o t paying a t t e n t i o n t o t h e l e c t u r e " , I s a i d , "but

p l e a s e do no t i n t e r f e r e wi th t hose who do want t o a t t e n d . Why don ' t you

s i t up a t t h e back and p l ay noughts and c r o s s e s i f you ' re n o t

i n t e r e s t e d ? " (Af t e r a l l , a w r i t t e n exam was s e t on each course , s o I

f e l t a b l e t o t h i s s o r t o f o f f e r ) . A l i t t l e t o my s u r p r i s e Meg

Wilkinson t ook up my sugges t i on and moved t o a back s e a t .

I would have been s t a r t l e d - s h e even more s o - i f I had r e a l i s e d t h a t 36

yea r s Later s h e would become my second w i f e and I h e r second husband.

(Dr. Barcan 's memoir, "Writing about Education 1950-1988" was publ ished

i n Quadran t , December 1987).

JOE FANATOMY

It cou ld have been Ted Crago w i t h h i s impish s e n s e of humour who

p e r p e t r a t e d t h e hoax, o r i t cou ld have been M r . Duncan.

I n t h e 'good o l d days ' when t h e non-academic s t a f f numbered t h r e e - t h e

C a r e t a k e r , t h e R e g i s t r a r , and t h e P r i n c i p a l ' s S e c r e t a r y - t h e s t a f f had

t o compile t h e i r own S e c t i o n r o l l s and keep t h e i r own r e c o r d s o f

a t t e n d a n c e . I n one S e c t i o n , having l i s t e d a l l t h o s e p r e s e n t , I asked f o r

t h e narnes of a b s e n t e e s . One name was o f f e r e d - J o e something-or-other.

How do you s p e l l i t ? FANATOMY. So I e n t e r e d him on t h e S e c t i o n r o l l .

Week a f t e r week t h i s c h a r a c t e r f a i l e d t o a p p e a r , and, i n t h e end, waxing

wra th , I s e n t M r . Fanatomy a s c a t h i n g and t h r e a t e n i n g message. Then i t

a l l came o u t - someone had inven ted him.

How t h i s s t u d e n t was t r a n s l a t e d t o sa int -hood I do n o t know; but f o r

s e v e r a l y e a r s S a i n t Fanatomy, h a l o and a l l , was c a r r i e d i n h i g h honour t o

a l l Co l lege F e s t i v a l s - S p o r t s Days, I n t e r c o l l e g i a t e s , e t c . E n t e r a

l e c t u r e room, and i t was more t h a n odds on t h a t on t h e black-board,

windows, d e s k s , o r even f l o o r , would be sc rawled i n c h a l k , "Joe Fanatomy

was here" . Assignments and even examinat ion papers sometimes c a r r i e d t h e

s i g n .

Fanatomy was never al lowed t o g r a d u a t e ; however h e was accorded a

( v a c a n t ) seat-of-honour a t t h e Annual Gradua t ion Dtnners and was d u l y

t o a s t e d . Once, a s a punishment, I suppose, f o r my g u l l i b i l i t y , I was

c a l l e d upon t o r e p l y t o t h e t o a s t .

Somewhere i n t h e C o l l e g e a r c h i v e s t h e r e i s a "Bal lad of J o e Fanatomy" and

a t t h i s l a t e s t a g e I suppose I can admit t h a t I he lped him w r i t e t h e

t h i n g .

J o e had a s a t e l l i t e - Hogan's Ghost - and I always suspec ted C h a r l e s

Grahame o f c r e a t i n g him. The ' p o r t r a i t ' o f Hogan's Ghost would appear on

documents, not ice-boards e t c . , b u t no one seems t o have known where he

came from; b u t someone must have had f u n keep ing u s guess ing. Both

phantoms have l o n g s i n c e l e f t t h e i r haun ts . Where a r e they now?

Huldah Turner.

FROY A PIONEER STUDENT

Noel Pryde

When I completed my leaving c e r t i f i c a t e i n 1948 I was a sixteen-year-old

who despera te ly wanted t o ga in a Teachers ' College Scholarship and become

a Primary School teacher . I knew I would have t o leave Newcastle t o

achieve t h i s . Students from t h e Newcastle a r e a went t o Sydney, Wagga o r

Armidale f o r t h e i r t r a i n i n g .

I had convinced myself t h a t I would l i k e Wagga o r Armidale b e s t because

they were l i ve - in co l l eges . The l e c t u r e s and accommodation were a l l on

campus. Also from r e p o r t s from o lde r h igh school acquaintances, s tuden t

teachers t h e r e seemed t o have a good s o c i a l l i f e even i f t h e food was

t e r r i b l e and t h e bedrooms f r eez ing i n winter .

Sydney Colleges appeared t o be a g r e a t e r chal lenge again. The c o s t i n

Sydney would be much more both f o r accommodation and day t o day t r a v e l .

A s we l l , t o a n unsophis t ica ted Newcastle boy, Sydney was a b ig p lace and

you could e a s i l y g e t l o s t both phys ica l ly and s o c i a l l y .

There had been ' t a l k ' about t h e establ ishment of a new t eache r s ' c o l l e g e

i n Newcastle but t h i s was only somathing i n the d i s t a n t f u t u r e . No

dec i s ion on a s i t e had been made. Even a s l a t e as January 7 th , 1949 t h e

Newcastle Morning Herald was r epor t ing t h a t a Newcastle co l l ege might

open sometime i n 1950. However a f t e r t h e Leaving C e r t i f i c a t e r e s u l t s

were published i n mid-January, t h e Minis te r f o r Education announced t h a t

a co l l ege i n Newcastle would open i n 1949 i f temporary accommodation

could be found.

I rece ived a Teachers' College Scholarship o f f e r , sub jec t t o a medical

and s u i t a b i l i t y examination, but t h e co l l ege where I w a s t o s tudy was

n o t named. The examina t ion o f s t u d e n t s took p l a c e a t Sydney Teachers '

Co l l ege and t h e peop le who asked u s t o cough, s i n g a song, and t o prove

we were n o t c o l o u r - b l i n d main ta ined t h a t Newcastle Co l lege would n o t open

i n 1949 because t h e r e w a s no a v a i l a b l e b u i l d i n g .

Within a week a d r a m a t i c change took p l a c e and th rough t h e e a r l y d a y s of

February a l m o s t d a i l y r e p o r t s were p u b l i s h e d i n t h e Newcastle Morning

Herald and t h e Newcastle Sun:

"Teachers ' C o l l e g e a t T e c h n i c a l C o l l e g e Bui ld ing , T i g h e ' s H i l l "

"New T e c h n i c a l High School Rroadmeadow (Under C o n s t r u c t i o n ) S i t e f o r Teachers ' Col lege"

" P r i n c i p a l Appointed"

"The P r i n c i p a l , G.H. Duncan, comes from t h e North"

"Old K u r r i K u r r i Boy t o b e P r i n c i p a l "

"R.F. Hodge, P r i n c i p a l Mai t land Boys' High: 'Duncan was a l a d w i t h a p e r s o n a l i t y t h a t s t i c k s i n your mind"

"The J u n c t i o n School t o be Demonstrat ion School"

" J u n c t i o n P a r e n t s Anxious: 'We d o n ' t want o u r c h i l d r e n t o be t a u g h t by s t u d e n t t e a c h e r s ' "

"Teachers ' C o l l e g e S t a f f a r r i v e s t o t r a i n 200 young men and women. Only f i r s t y e a r c l a s s e s w i l l a t t e n d t h e C o l l e g e t h i s yea r"

The Newcast le Morning Herald s t a f f r e p o r t e r w r o t e a n e x c e l l e n t a r t i c l e

(February 1 1 t h ) a b o u t t h e a r r i v a l o f t h e P r i n c i p a l and s t a f f :

"...What t h e y found was a l o n g low b u i l d i n g , resounding w i t h n o i s e s of c a r p e n t r y , encumbered wit11 a s e a of s h a v i n g s , l a d d e r s and s c a f f o l d i n g s , and workmen w i e l d i n g p a i n t b r u s h e s and hammers.

..... Although t h e raw s t a g e s o f a c o l l e g e a r e n o n o v e l t y t o M r . Duncan who was on t h e s t a f f of Balmain and Wsgg:~ c o l l e g e s when t h e y were opened, t h i s must b e t h e most immature of h i s v e n t u r e s .

.......... ..... He (G.H.Duncan) s t epped s t r a i g h t i n t o t h e confus ion by a l l o c a t i n g h i s s t a f f t o t a s k s o f unpacking books and equipment, buying more books, m a k i n ~ e n q u i r i e s about accommodation and p l a y i n g f i e l d s , and innumerable o t h e r d e t a i l s of o r g s n i s 2 t i o n .

..... Mr. Duncan is e n t h u s i a s t i c abou t h i s new schoo l . ' The Col lege hopes t o send o u t t e a c h e r s who l o v e t h e i r work and a r e proud o f i t 1 , he s a i d .

.......... Mr. Duncan a l s o s a i d ,My s t a f f i s t a k i n g a deep p r i d e i n l i t e r a l l y s h a p i n g t h i s new and i m p o r t a n t v e n t u r e i n Newcas t l e ' s e d u c a t i o n a l h i s t o r y . ' "

T h i s was e x c i t i n g and e x h i l a r a t i n g s t u f f and I c e r t a i n l y f e l t p a r t of

i t . However t h e r e were t i m e s when I wondered i f I would e v e r b e g i n my

t r a i n i n g t h e r e .

Heavy r a i n d u r i n g January and February had made t h e t a s k of t h e b u i l d e r s

v e r y d i f f i c u l t . The new l e c t u r e b u i l d i n g was incomple te and i t was

surrounded by a s e a of mud because workmen cou ld not l a y cement p a t h s .

The b u i l d i n g c e r t a i n l y would n o t be r e a d y f o r l e c t u r e s by March l s t , t h e

day we were expec ted t o e n r o l .

A d e c i s i o n was made by t h e P r i n c i p a l and t h e D i s t r i c t I n s p e c t o r s t o send

new s t u d e n t t e a c h e r s t o l o c a l s c h o o l s ' t o obse rve t h e work o f p r a c t i s i n g

t e a c h e r s and c u l t i v a t e a new a t t i t u d e t o s c h o o l ' . We were e x p e c t e d t o

o n l y obse rve t e a c h e r s i n a c t i o n , b u t a l l gave some Lessons and we t h e n

r e a l i s e d t h a t we had a l o t t o l e a r n abou t t e a c h i n g . T h i s t y p e of

pup i l - t eacher t r a i n i n g had n o t been used f o r twenty y e a r s i n t h i s S t a t e

b u t i t gave t h e b u i l d e r s a n o t h e r two weeks t o p r e p a r e t h e s t and- in

Col lege f o r l e c t u r e s .

By t h e a c t u a l en ro lment day, t h e C o l l e g e S t a f f had n o t r e c e i v e d a l ist of

s t u d e n t s from t h e Educa t ion Department. It was expec ted t h a t t h e new

enro lments would a l l come from Newcastle and i t s s u r r o u n d i n g a r e a s , b u t

t h e y a r r i v e d from a l l p a r t s of t h e S t a t e . Accommodation had t o b e found

f o r many homeless s t u d e n t s and Newcastle f a m i l i e s took up t h e c h a l l e n g e .

They wanted a t e a c h e r s ' c o l l e g e and t h e y i n t e n d e d t o keep i t .

So t h e Col lege began i n semi-chaos. B u i l d i n g s con t inued t o go up around

us d u r i n g two y e a r s of s tudy . Rooms were v a c a t e d w h i l e f i x t u r e s were

f i n i s h e d o r p a i n t i n g completed. Yet b u i l d i n g s d o n o t make a c o l l e g e .

The s t a f f and t h e s t u d e n t s a r e i t s h e a r t and s o u l and we s p e n t two

wonderful y e a r s l e a r n i n g about c h i l d r e n and o u r s e l v e s . Bes ides t h e

p h y s i c a l d i scomfor t we a l s o facer1 a p s y c h o l o g i c a l barr ,age from l o c a l

p r i n c i p a l s and t e a c h e r s who had t r a i n e d a t Sydney and Armidale. They

c o n s i s t e n t l y emphasised how s o r r y t h e y were f o r us . The i r o l d c o l l e g e s

had h i s t o r y , h igh t e ach ing r e p u t a t i o n s , and char isma, something t h e y

be l i eved i t would t a k e y e a r s f o r Newcastle t o ach ieve . Bowever, a l though

we had no t r a d i t i o n t o f o l l ow , no s t u d e n t o r g a n i s a t i o n a l network t o gu ide

u s , we b u i l t up, i n two y e a r s , a wonderful c o l l e g e s p i r i t and t h i s s p i r l t

has s t ood t h e test o f time.

I n our f i r s t P ioneer Sess ion reunion i n 1970, twenty ye . l r s a f t e r t h e

f l r s t g r adu a t i ons , n i n e t y n ine ou t of one hundred and seven ty two

a t tended.

Everything i n t h a t f i r s t yea r was a f i r s t :

t h e f i r s t e l e c t i o n of P r e s iden t : Michael Yannan and of Vice-President: Barbara Williamson t h e f i r s t demons t ra t ions and p r a c t i c e t e ach ing s e s s i o n s

t h e f i r s t c o l l e g e dance and t h e f i r s t drama p r e s e n t a t i o n s

t h e f i r s t s p o r t i n g and s o c i a l c l u b format ion

t h e f i r s t v i s i t from ano the r c o l l e g e (Balmain)

t h e f i r s t v i s i t t o t h e snowf ie lds

t h e f i r s t i n t e r c o l l e g i a t e - ( a v i s i t t o Sydney)

t h e f i r s t c o l l e g e b a l l

t h e f i r s t c o l l e g e camp.

The Col lege S t a f f c o n t r i b u t e d a g r e a t d e a l t o t h e succe s s of t h e s e

v e n t u r e s and p a r t i c u l a r c r e d i t must go t o Harold G i l l a r d , K i t t y Barnes,

and t h e P r i n c i p a l , Griff.Duncan f o r t h e i r pe rsona l c o n t r i b u t i o n s . I n

1988 s t u d e n t s a r e o l d e r and do n o t s e e k involvement of s t a f f i n t h e i r

s o c i a l a c t i v i t i e s . For ty y e a r s ago s t u d e n t s needed and app rec i a t ed t h e

e f f o r t s of S t a f f t o make t h e i r two y e a r s a s en joyab l e as p o s s i b l e .

Subsequent y e a r s b u i l t on t h e framework e s t a b l i s h e d by t h e p ionee r ing

s e s s i o n s .

These memories a r e very f r e s h i n my mind, and t h e y g e t a soor1 ' a i r i n g '

f a i r l y r e g u l a r l y . The P ioneer Sess ion has had t h r e e h i ~ h l y s u c c e s s f u l

r eun ions , a f t e r 20 y e a r s , a f t e r t h i r t y y e a r s , a f t e r 3 5 y e a r s , and a

s t r o n g l o c a l group meet r e g u l a r l y throughout t h e year .

My f e l l o ~ s t u d e n t s and I Look back ~ i t h g r e a t joy on t h e fun, t h e good

f e l l owsh ip and t h e p r o f e s s i o n a l t r a i n l n g we r ece ived 3t Newcastle

Teachers ' Col lege i n 1949-50.

MORE REMINISCENCES -

Vie Rooney

A t t h e end of 1950 I completed t h e Leaving C e r t i f i c a t e and ga ined a v e r y

unremarkable pass . I n t h o s e days however i t w a s enough t o g a i n me - and

l o t s o f o t h e r s l i k e m e - a Teachers ' Col lege Schola rsh ip . Th i s award

e n t i t l e d m e t o t r a i n f o r two y e a r s , be pa id a s m a l l a l lowance du r ing t h a t

t ime, and t hen be bonded f o r t h r e e y e a r s a f t e r w a r d s o r repay t h r e e

hundred pounds ( s i x hundred d o l l a r s ) t o some omnipotent a u t h o r i t y

connected w i t h t h e government. A f t e r our f i r s t s e s s i o n of p r a c t i c e

t e ach ing , many o f u s agreed t h a t we would ' s e r v e o u t t h e bond' by

t e a c h i n g t o t h e end o f 1955, and t hen r e s i g n . It j u s t h a s n ' t worked o u t

t h a t way.

I n 1951 Newcastle Teachers ' Col lege l acked a permanent home. We were

acommodated a t what i s now Merewether High School. There were t h e n , o f

cou r se , f a r fewer b u i l d i n g s t h a n now and we occupied on ly t h e bottom

f l o o r of t h e main block. I t h i n k t h e whole c o l l e g e had abou t two hundred

s t u d e n t s .

Viv id r e c o l l e c t i o n s of 1951 have very l i t t l e t o do w i th t h e General

Primary Course we had a l l under taken. I remember i n s t e a d t h e Col lege

b lazer -green w i t h wh i t e trimming and a go lden t o r c h on t h e pocket above

t h e motto "Ad Meliorem Mundum'. A t t h e f i r s t assembly w e were addressed

a s 'Mr', 'Miss', o r 'Mrs' and were s u b t l y encouraged t o h a s t e n towards

m a t u r i t y and r e s p o n s i b i l i t y . I began t o t a k e myself r a t h e r s e r i o u s l y .

For t hose o f u s who came from s ing le -sex s c h o o l s t h e r e was t h e heady

bus ine s s of be ing i n c l a s s w i t h g i r l s . Col lege dances , h e l d every

Tuesday n i g h t i n t h e assembly h a l l , were a t t ended by s t u d e n t s and

l e c t u r e r s and t h e music was s u p p l i e d by piano-playing s t u d e n t s . 'Second

Years ' were much more i m p o r t a n t t h a n ' F i r s t Years ' and we t r i e d v e r y h a r d

t o b r i d g e t h a t gap by p l a y i n g s p o r t . Fach f i v e weeks we were p a i d our

a l lowance and f o r a few d a y s some of u s r e v e l l e d i n 'Men Only' pubs which

c l o s e d a t 6p.m.. D r i v i n g caused no problem a s t h e r e were o n l y two c a r s

i n t h e Col lege . A t t h e v e r y f i r s t C o l l e g e r e u n i o n e v e r h e l d , we gl impsed

t h e members of t h e P ioneer S e s s i o n , g r e a t men and women who had

e s t a b l i s h e d , i n a l l r e s p e c t s of t h e i r s t u d e n t l i f e , s t a n d a r d s t o which we

c o u l d a s p i r e , a l t h o u g h t h e y had been t e a c h i n g f o r o n l y one term.

I n 1952 we were moved t o Union S t r e e t j u s t o p p o s i t e N a t i o n a l Park .

G r i f f i t h Duncan spoke t o a l l o f us Second y e a r s t u d e n t s , who f i t t e d i n t o

one l a r g e c lassroom. We began t o s p e c i a l i s e : I went i n t o t h e Smal l

Schools s e c t i o n t o l e a r n how t o cope w i t h t h e c o u n t r y one- teacher

s c h o o l ; many of t h e g i r l s went i n t o I n f a n t s s e c t i o n s and t h e remainder

c o n c e n t r a t e d on Genera l Primary.

Again, though, I r e c a l l o n l y t h e e x t r a - c u r r i c u l a r a c t i v i t i e s : dances a t

t h e Y.M.C.A. H a l l i n King S t r e e t ; e x h a u s t i n g Rugby w i t h i n t h e Col lege

and i n t h e Newcastle c o m p e t i t i o n ; and t h e f o o t b a l l team b e i n g coaxed

from t r a i n i n g i n N a t i o n a l Park t o form t h e d ragoons ' c h o r u s i n "Pa t i ence" .

Perhaps t h e v a s t d i f f e r e n c e between t h a t t e r t i a r y i n s t i t u t i o n of 1951-52

and t h e Col lege i n i t s l a t e r y e a r s was t h e f a c t t h a t a l l o f u s - l e c t u r i n g s t a f f and s t u d e n t s - knew one a n o t h e r v e r y w e l l . S t r o n g

f r i e n d s h i p s were made and many of t h o s e have endured.

A t t h e end of 1952, aged e i g h t e e n , I c l u t c h e d my Teachers ' C e r t i f i c a t e ,

began t o s u s p e c t how l i t t l e I knew, and peeped i n t o t h e t e r r i f y i n g a b y s s

o f my f u t u r e . Many of u s began by comple t ing m i l i t a r y s e r v i c e , which we

had been a b l e t o d e f e r u n t i l we f i n i s h e d our c o u r s e . I became Trooper

Rooney a t 1 3 t h B a t t a l i o n , I n g l e b u r n , and i n A p r i l , 1953 s t a r t e d t e a c h i n g

a t L i v e r p o o l J u n i o r High School.

(Trooper Rooney's gaze i n t o t h e f u t u r e d i d n o t a l l o w him t o f o r e s e e t h a t he would become a n o u t s t a n d i n g t e a c h e r o f E n g l i s h i n High Schoo l s and a l e a d i n g p r o f e s s i o n a l a c t o r i n t h e A u s t r a l i a n t h e a t r e . - J.D.)

1949 P ioneer Primary School S tuden t Teachers d i s c u s s i n g t h e i r c r a f twork

w i th t h e i r l e c t u r e r , W.E.Wilcox.

THE INDUSTRIAL ARTS SCENE

When t h e Col lege was e s t a b l i s h e d i n 1949, i t was accommodated a t t h e

I n d u s t r i a l Arts b lock o f what was t o be t h e Newcastle Technical High

School n e a r t h e r a cecou r se a t Broadmeadow. When t h e remainder of t h e

s choo l was completed t h e Teachers ' Col lege moved t o Cooks H i l l i n

p o r t a b l e rooms imported from Ensland.

I n 1955 a Secondary I n d u s t r i a l A r t s Teacher T ra in ing Course w a s commenced

wi th p r a c t i c a l cou r se s be ing conducted a t t h e Newcastle Technica l

Col lege. When Teachers ' Col leges became C.A.E.s, t h e I n d u s t r i a l A r t s

p r a c t i c a l Courses were conducted i n t h e new I n d u s t r i a l Arts b u i l d i n g a t

Waratah.

I was i n charge o f t h e I n d u s t r i a l A r t s Campus from 1970 t o 1973, du r ing

t h e p e r i o d when t h e remainder of t h e C.A.E. was be ing b u i l t . A s p e c i a l

A r t i s a n Teacher Educat ion programme was commenced f o r q u a l i f i e d

journeymen and t e chn i c i ans . A t t h i s s t a g e t h e C r a f t and I n d u s t r i a l A r t s

s t a f f had i n c r e a s e d t o twenty-two l e c t u r e r s w i t h a n a t t e n d a n t s t a f f of

s i x . The y e a r 1976 saw t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n o f a th ree -year I n d u s t r i a l A r t s

d e g r e e course . The f i r s t g r a d u a t e s of t h i s programme were a d m i t t e d t o

t h e d e g r e e o f Bachelor of Educat ion ( I n d u s t r i a l A r t s ) st t h e 1979

Graduat ion.

BLUE lYOOD

(' 'Blue Mood" i s a s t o r y about a Teachers ' C o l l e g e s t u d e n t and h i s c l a y

model o f a female form made d u r i n g a C r a f t s e s s i o n ) .

A t t h e end of t h e p r a c t i c a l s e s s i o n s t u d e n t s b rough t t h e i r c l a y models on

model l ing boards t o t h e demons t ra t ion bench. A s t h e s t u d e n t who had

c r e a t e d "Blue Mood" c a r r i e d h i s model t o t h e f r o n t o f t h e room, h e

t r i p p e d and i t f e l l t o t h e f l o o r , r e s u l t i n g i n much l o s s o f shape. A s

t h e l e c t u r e r i n charge had s e e n t h e model b e i n g made, h e awarded i t a

mark, and commented t h a t i t was s t i l l a n i n t e r e s t i n g arrangement o f

masses. Th i s comment was t h e beginning of a 'work o f a r t ' c a l l e d "Blue

Mood".

A t t h i s t ime s t u d e n t s were p r e p a r i n g murals f o r t h e Col lege b a l l .

Imagine my predicament a t t h e b a l l when my w i f e saw a l a r g e mural o f a

male l e c t u r e r l o o k i n g a t a curvaceous female s t u d e n t w i t h t h e c a p t i o n :

'An i n t e r e s t i n g arrangement of masses!' Thinking q u i c k l y , I s a i d t o my

w i f e , ' I wonder who t h a t l e c t u r e r cou ld b e ' .

A f t e r a d r y i n g p e r i o d o f s e v e r a l weeks, t h a t s h a p e l y p i e c e o f c l a y was

baked and g l a z e d a b e a u t i f u l shade of b l u e , and t h e n e x t e p i s o d e began.

The Newcastle A r t G a l l e r y was a r r a n g i n g an a r t e x h i b i t i o n from a n o t h e r

c o u n t r y and somehow t h i s g lazed t o r s o was p laced i n a c e n t r a l p o s i t i o n ,

w i t h a c a r d e n t i t l i n g i t "Blue Mood". When t h e e x h i b i t i o n came t o a n end

"Blue Mood" was moved t o a n o t h e r prominent p l a c e i n t h e A r t G a l l e r y . The

s t o r y of t h i s work of a r t was pub l i shed l a t e r i n t h e S t u d e n t s ' J o u r n a l .

Perhaps I shou ld have g i v e n "Blue Mood" a h i g h e r mark.

W.E. Wilcox

E4RLY COLLEGE SPORTING VISITS - Harold Gi l l a rd

I n 1949 N.T.C. opened a t Broadmeadow. The f i r s t In ter -Col leg ia te a t Bathurst consisted of A t h l e t i c s and Major Games. We t r a v e l l e d from Newcastle i n two buses, one of which broke down a t Fas tern Creek nea r S t . Mary's on t h e r e t u r n journey. The l e c t u r e r s accompanying t h e s tuden t s were K i t t y Barnes, John Moore, Margaret Me lv i l l e and myself. The pa r ty was housed i n t h e Church of England Hostel . There was a heavy f a l l of snow. S tudents on t h e second bus d i d not a r r i v e i n Newcastle u n t i l t h e next morning. They 'bur ied ' t h e bus on t h e i r a r r i v a l a t College.

An In t e r -Co l l eg ia t e Board was formed on t h e b a s i s of Newcastle going t o Armidale, and a l s o t o Balnain and Mackie Colleges. Newcastle v i s i t e d Wagga, accompanied by Mr. Duncan, who was t hen a b l e t o renew h i s a s s o c i a t i o n wi th Wagga's P r i n c i p a l , Mr. Blakemore.

Cricket involv ing a l l Colleges w a s played. Vince Martin of Newcastle College was cap ta in of a r ep resen ta t ive team which played t h e N.S.W. Associat ion Representa t ive team and defeated them on t h e Sydney Cricket Ground . I n t ime, t h e In ter -Col leg ia tes d i d not r e t a i n t h e support of College P r i n c i p a l s - c l u b s arranged t h e i r own v i s i t s , e.g. when Newcastle went t o Armidale t o con tes t a t h l e t i c s and c r i c k e t .

N.T.C. had a s p o r t s a f te rnoon, where fou r houses competed. A s p o r t s r e p o r t was given a t weekly assemblies.

Ken S c o t t (now a l e c t u r e r ) won t h e 220 yards a t Bathurst , holding t h e record. Ken was a l s o a member of t h e N.T.C. Hockey team.

N.T.C. always had a s t r o n g Rugby Union team, de fea t ing Sydney a t t h e f i r s t In ter -Col leg ia te i n Sydney. Outstanding p layers were John Doharty and Colin De Lore who represented Country F i r s t s . Others t o r ep resen t were Ted Wicks, Brian Schumacher, Bob Dark and Ross Turton.

S t a f f Song per formed a t a c o n c e r t h e l d on t h e P o i n t T J o l l s t o n e c r a f t Camp

I ' d l o v e t o c l i m b a n appl -e- t ree and s i t on Harold G i l l a r d ' s knee;

and have Bev. Thomas c r o o n t o me - I t ' s camping b u t i t ' s fun :

I ' d l o v e t o go down f o r a s w i m , and have L i n d s a y H i l l push roc i n - i n t o t h e arms o f P a u l Newling -

It 's camping b u t i t ' s fun !

I ' d l o v e t o a c t w i t h Mr. Doyle, upon a movie s c r e e n ,

and have him g a z e i n t o my e y e s - I t ' s camping h u t i t ' s fun!

With Hun te r Graham t o b e a t t h e band, a n d Alan Egge r ton o n t h e s t a n d ,

a n d Crago d e a r t o h o l d cny hand,

I t ' s camping h u t i t ' s Eunl

I ' d l o v e t o g o o u t Eor a s a i l , and have Don's a r d o u r send m e p a l e

and l a n d o n s h o r e w i t h a w e t , w e t t a i l - I t ' s camping b u t i t ' s fun !

I ' d l o v e t o go f o r a b a r b e c u e , o h , .Johnny Hook, w e ' l l go w i t h you

and s t r o l l h a c k home a t 11al.f p a s t two;

It 's c,imping bu t i t ' s E ~ I I I :

We l o v e t o s t r o l . 1 round o u t oE bounds, t o s e e t h a t th in ;s , i r e r i g h t ,

t o s e n d t h o s e a r d e n t c o u p l e s home;

I t ' s camping b u t i t ' s tun!

We s e e romances r i z h t a n d L ~ E L , and wonder i f t h e y ' l l s t a n d t h e test

and end u p i n a t r u e - l o v e n e s t .

IT 'S CAMPING BUT I r ' S FUY!

2 1

THE SONG OF THE TORCH BRIGADE

Composed by Anon

Performed a t t h e Yarramundi Camp by t h e S t a f f , i n s o l o and c h o r u s p a r t s , and by S t u d e n t s

MR. STAINES: 0 wno w i l l g o rounds w i t h me,

And make a walkabout?

0 who w i l l j o i n t h e Torch Brigade

To s e e t h e l i g h t s a r e o u t ?

ALL : -

NK. WOOD:

ALL: -

0 we w i l l go t h e rounds w i t h you,

Go prowling by your s i d e ;

And two by two w i l l t a k e t h e b e a t

And, S t u d e n t s , woe b e t i d e :

We screw o u r courage t o t h e p o i n t

With t e a of S t a i n e s ' s brew;

We g r a b a t o r c h ; we r i n g a b e l l ;

We r i n g a b e l l - o r two.

We f l a s h them h e r e , we f l a s h them t h e r e ,

We work w i t h p l o t and p lan ;

We peer in e v e r y shadowy p a t c h ,

The r i v e r bank we scan.

We hope t h e men have gone t o bed

And a l l t h e women too:

But i f t h e y h a v e n ' t , oh d e s r me,

What won" t h e l e c t u r e r s do?

What's t h i s we s e e come looming

So ve ry , v e r y l a t e ?

Is t h a t a Stude? And a r e t h e r e

Are you t h a t woman" mate?

f

UP Y

two?

The t o r c h e s ' l i g h t s work o v e r t i m e ,

E f f e c t i v e b a r r i c a d e s ...... "IJhy a r e n ' t you a l l a s l e e p i n bed,

You l i t t l e renegades?"

STUDENTS : We c o u l d n ' t f i n d t h e way back home!

The n i g h t was q u i t e o b s c u r e ;

We c o u l d n ' t f i n d t h e r t v e r bank,

And made a wide d e t o u r .

MR. STAINES: Go, g e t t o bed and s t a y t h e r e t o o ,

And n o more c o i l and m o i l ,

Oh, s u r e a s e g g s , y o u ' l l f i n d your c l a i m

Is jumped by Mr. Doyle!

ALL: -

STUDENT:

Here comes a n o t h e r wandering one ,

Caught by t h e s e a r c h i n g beam . . . .. . I t h i n k you o n l y t h i n k I'm h e r e ,

Things a r e n o t what t h e y seem: -

MRS . WHITTLE : T h i s i s t h e h u t where Beauty l i e s ... They ' r e s u r e l y a l l i n bed!

But no, t h i s s p e c i e s s t r a n g e w e f i n d

I n wardrobes r o o s t s i n s t e a d .

MISS MELVILLE: An even s t r a n g e r s p e c i e s h e r e

S o f t beds and p i l l o w s s c o r n s ;

Beneath t h e beds t h e y c rouch i n s l e e p

From t h e l i g h t s - o u t t i l l t h e dawns.

ALL: - A t l a s t we t h i n k t h e y ' r e bedded down - The Hut, t h e Vik ings - a l l ;

F o r f i n a l s i l e n c e se t t l e s down

On r i v e r bank and h a l l ....

The Torch B r i g a d e i t s work h a s done,

And s o t o bed - n o t we:

We quench o u r t o r c h e s and ou

I n cups o f morning t e a .

A HOWLER OR TWO

P h i l Vai le

I have a c o l l e c t i o n of howlers from s t u d e n t s ' exam papers over t h e y e a r s ,

which you may wish t o use a s memorabilia:

QUESTION : Name a f a c t o r con t r ibu t ing t o t h e d e c l i n e of t h e

b i r t h - r a t e , 1880-1920.

ANSWER: "The in t roduc t ion of conception".

QUESTION: Who was t he au thor of a famous work on t h e use of

power, e n t i t l e d The Prince?

ANSWER :

QUESTION:

ANSWER :

( 1 ) " ~ a t r a v e l l y "

(2) "Machievelli - unsure of s p e l l i n g bu t I can

pronounce i t O.K."

Comment on t h e d i f f i c u l t i e s of t h e f i r s t European

se t t l emen t ( i n A u s t r a l i a ) .

"Agr icu l ture was slow t o g e t o f f t h e ground".

QUESTION :

ANSWER :

What i s t h e supreme l e g i s l a t i v e body i n t h e Aus t r a l i an

p o l i t i c a l system?

"Caucus".

TWENTY YEARS OF CHANGE

Morris Graham

I joined t h e s t a f f o f Newcastle Teachers ' Col lege i n 1956 and r e t i r e d

from t h e C.A.E. i n 1936. As a h i s t o r i a n my i n t e r e s t i s i n change: no

change, no h i s t o r y . There were c e r t a i n l y p l e n t y of changes of s t r u c t u r e

and a t t i t u d e i n my t ime the re .

There was gene ra l support f o r t h e changeover from College under t h e

c o n t r o l of t h e N.S.W. Department of Education t o a corpora te College w i t h

i t s o-xn Council. We were going t o be f r e e from t h e heavy hand of

c e n t r a l i s e d a u t h o r i t y . A s t h e heady days of t h e e a r l y 1970s wi th an

oversupply of s t u d e n t s and almost a n oversupply of money turned i n t o t h e

y e a r s s i n c e then of a n undersupply o f both, s t a f f began t o long f o r t h e

good o l d days. In s t ead of one S t a t e Government boss , t h e College found

i t s e l f answering t o t h e a d d i t i o n a l a u t h o r i t y of t h e Federa l Government,

t h e Commonwealth T e r t i a r y Education Commission, and t h e S t a t e Higher

Eduction Board. In s t ead of new s t a f f being appointed a s needed, w i t h a

teaching load of fou r t een hours , p l u s o r minus two, per week, and a

c a r e e r expec ta t ion of becoming a s en io r l e c t u r e r , s t a f f found themselves

w i th h ighe r workloads, fewer s t a f f and a reduced ca ree r expec ta t ion . Old

t imer s on t h e s t a f f r e c a l l e d t h e wisdom of t h e then Pres ident of t h e

Lec tu re r s ' Assoc ia t ion and l a t e r P re s iden t of t h e N.S.W. Teachers'

Federa t ion , E r i c Peatson, who always doubted t h e b e n e f i t s o f becoming

co rpora t e co l l eges and i n s i s t e d t h a t he was p e r f e c t l y s a t i s f i e d t o remain

a member of t h e s t a f f o f Sydney Teachers ' College.

There was c o n s i d e r a b l e change i n s i d e t h e Col lege d u r i n g m y t ime. It was

G r i f f . Duncan's Col lege. He was never s h o r t o f i d e a s o f what c o u r s e s

should c o n s i s t o f and i t was my impress ion t h a t Heads o f Departments and

s t a f f accep ted wi thou t q u e s t i o n G r i f f . ' ~ a u t h o r i t y and judgment. B e r t

Wood, Head o f t h e Engl i sh Department was t h e e x c e p t i o n t o t h i s

compliance. He o f t e n became t h e l i o n i n G r i f f . ' ~ p a t h a t s t a f f mee t ings ,

and t h e maulings given and r e c e i v e d by B e r t and G r i f f . , who was no

pussyca t , made s t a f f mee t ings more i n t e r e s t i n g and l o n g e r t h a n t h e y would

o t h e r w i s e have been. From 1966 on t h e r e was a n i a c r e a s i n g i n t a k e o f

s t a f f , many o f whom were s e n i o r s t a f f from h i g h s c h o o l s , used t o h a v i n g a

s a y i n t h e runn ing of t h e i r s c h o o l s . From be ing a Col lege where G r i f f .

was t h e acknowledged decision-maker t o one where t o n p o l i c y d e c i s i o n s

were made by a r e p r e s e n t a t i v e Col lege Academic Board came a b o u t a f t e r

G r i f f . was s u b j e c t e d t o f i e r c e and u n j u s t i f i e d p e r s o n a l a t t a c k s i n

s t u d e n t p u b l i c a t i o n s by s t u d e n t s a t t e n d i n g t h e U n i v e r s i t y on

t e a c h e r - t r a i n e e s c h o l a r s h i p s . With t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f t h e Academic

Board, d e c i s i o n s on s t u d e n t p r o g r e s s i o n cou ld no 1o:lger be s a i d t o be

s u b j e c t t o t h e whims o f t h e P r i n c i p a l . S i n c e t h a t t i m e , Committees and

Boards have p r o l i f e r a t e d ; i f two heads a r e b e t t e r t h a n one, t e n o r

twenty must be b e t t e r t h a n two. I f e a r w e have tended t o become t a l k i n g

heads . A s Clement A t l e e s s i d , "Democracy means government by d i s c u s s i o n ,

bu t i s o n l y e f f e c t i v e i f you c a n s t o p people t a l k i n g " .

One n o t i c e a b l e change over t h e y e a r s was i n d r e s s . By 1365 men s t u d e n t s

no l o n g e r wore b l a z e r s t o Col lege , bu t most wore t i e s and t h e women wore

f r o c k s . The b i g deba te i n my e a r l y y e a r s was abou t whether women

s t u d e n t s should be a l lowed t o wear s l a c k s t o l e c t u r e s . The

recommendation was l e f t t o t h e women members o f t h e s t a E f who f i n a l l y

agreed t h a t women s t u d e n t s could wear s l a c k s provided t h e y were

t a i l o r e d . There were changes of d r e s s among s t a f f . Newcomers t o C o l l e g e

r a t h e r r e l i s h e d t h e i d e a o f wearing academic gowns, f o r m e r l y g i v e n a n

o u t i n g o n l y on s c h o o l Speech Days and P lay Days. Yost soon c e s s e d t o

wear them t o l e c t u r e s , l e a v i n g them on n a i l s behind o f f i c e d o o r s , t o be

worn a t Assemblies o r on dashes t o t h e c a r p a r k on wet days . S t a f f t ended

t o jo in t h e move t o more informal d r e s s , perhaps p a r t of t he process of

i d e n t i f y i n g wi th s tuden t s r a t h e r than being d i f f e r e n t from them. I

remember one male s t a f f member s u r p r i s i n g a e by saying t h a t he gas going

t o a sk G r i f f . i f i t w a s a l l r i g h t t o wear s h o r t s t o College.

The l a t e John Koos was a s a r t o r i a l t r e n d s e t t e r . By example he taught

wearers of whi te s h o r t s about colour-coordinated gear . He was once asked

i f i t took him long t o decide i n t h e morning what he would wear t o work.

I n slow measured tones h e r e p l i e d , "That i s much too important a dec is ion

t o b e l e f t u n t i l morning. "

Mr Wood and Debating Team, 1955

I N PRAISE OF STUDENTS - PAST AND PRESENT

Paul ine Clark

Looking a t t h e Home Economics department of t h e Hunter I n s t i t u t e of

Higher Education i n 1988 w i t h i t s very modern f a c i l i t i e s and i t s s t e r i l e

lamina tes and s t a i n l e s s s t e e l , t hose of u s who were involved wi th t h e o l d

Union S t r e e t Teachers ' College with Its "slum" surroundings, must s u r e l y

be incredulous of t h e condi t ions which de l i v e d through t h e r e . There

were l eak ing r o o f s w i t h washing up bas ins and p o t s and pans ca tch ing the

d r i p s , sagging c e i l i n g s , windows t h a t were d i f f i c u l t t o open and s t i l l

harder t o s h u t , s t o v e s t h a t could have come from t h e c i t y dump, k i t chen

equipment t h a t must s u r e l y have come from a demolished school a t Woop

\Joop, paper t h i n w a l l s , invas ions of vermin and creepy c r a w l i e s i n plague

propor t ions , and e l e c t r i c a l i n s t a l l a t i o n s t h a t defy desc r ip t ion . And i n

t h e s e surroundings we p r a c t i s e d Haute Cuisine:

But t h e r e was a good f e e l i n g i n t h a t d e c r e p i t o l d place. We he ld

i n t e r - c o l l e g i a t e v i s i t s , ou r own s p o r t s and swimming c a r n i v a l s , and s t a f f

ge t - toge thers . We even posed f o r s t a f f and s tuden t photographs, but more

impor tan t ly we seemed t o g e t t o know each o t h e r and perhaps those o l d

wooden planked verandahs and walltways which connected our many po r t ab l e s

played a un i fy ing r o l e , f o r they were busy p l aces f o r both s t a f f and

s tuden t s : f o r a l i v e l y , good-natured debate w i th t h e P r i n c i p a l ,

d i s cuss ions on work between s t a f f and s tuden t s , t h e beginning of

f r i e n d s h i p s , even love a f f a i r s , and f o r t h e p l o t t i n g of moves i n s tuden t

p o l i t i c s .

ALthouth t h e r e a r e many d i f f e r e n c e s , what remains t h e same is the

experience of meeting t h e group of wonderful s tuden t s which f r o n t s up

each yea r , ~ i t h t h e i r enthusiasm, ded ica t ion and wi l l i ngness t o succeed.

The S t a f f of t h e I n s t i t u t e a r e f o r t u n a t e . t o sha re i n t h e dreams and

a s p i r a t i o n s of t hese f u t u r e t eache r s of A u s t r a l i a - and indeed t h e world.

EARLY PERFORMANCES OF "GILBERT

AND S ULLI VAN"

J e s s Ferguson

Newcastle Teachers ' Col lege opened i n 1949 wi th an i n i t i a l i n t a k e of 182

s t u d e n t s , a l l f o r Primary School Training. I n t h e fo l lowing year t h e r e

began t h e success ion of "Gi lbe r t and Sul. l ivanW product ions , which were

always w e l l rece ived .

Music product ions were he ld i n what l a t e r became t h e Newcastle Technical

High School assembly h a l l and were d i r e c t e d i n t h e s e e a r l y y e a r s by Hilda

McIntosh and Marjor ie Sneddon. Each yea r t h e r e were two evening

performances, p lay ing t o f u l l houses and enjoyed by audiences who

app rec i a t ed n o t on ly t h e f r e shnes s and spon tane i ty of s t uden t

p r e s e n t a t i o n s , bu t a l s o t h e hard work and thought t h a t went i n t o them.

The f i r s t programme c o n s i s t e d of " T r i a l by Jury" and "H.M.S. Pinafore" .

The soprano l e a d s were taken by Pa t Welsh and Noeline Byrnes; Noel

Rutherford (formerly of t h e Newcastle Un ive r s i t y Department of H i s to ry )

was a convincing Dead-Eye Dick; and t h e r o l e s of t h e Judge ( " T r i a l by

Jury") and Captain Corcoran ("Pinafore") were taken by Kevin C l i f t o n and

Kevin Williams. The r o l e of S i r Joseph P o r t e r was taken by Noel Pryde

(n.ow a Senior Lec turer i n S o c i a l Sciences a t t h e I n s t i t u t e ) .

Accompaniments were provided by s t u d e n t p i a n i s t s . Lec tu re r s Colin Doyle

and Gordon E l l i o t t a t tended t o t h e make-up and Alwyn Rutherford showed

cons iderab le t a l e n t i n w r i t i n g parodies i nco rpo ra t i ng r e f e r ence t o

c u r r e n t Col lege events .

The s t a g e scenery f o r t h i s product ion was pa in ted by a s t u d e n t Greta Hard

who spen t many hours of h e r vaca t ion on t h e work. Once pa in t ed t h e f l i e s

were t i e d t o t h e beams i n t h e c e i l i n g and n a i l e d t o t h e f l o o r . This t a s k

of p o s i t i o n i n g of s e t s was complicated by t h e f a c t t h a t beams were n o t

always a v a i l a b l e where they were needed.

Costumes f o r t h e performances were h i r e d ; and though t h e s e , i n t h e main,

met requ i rements , t h e r e was always need t o s h o r t e n t r o u s e r l e g s f o r men,

o r p rov ide adequa te padding f o r women's garments. I n t h e s e c r i s e s L e i l a

W h i t t l e , L e c t u r e r i n Needlework, proved h e r s e l f i n d i s p e n s i b l e .

Apart from t h o s e working on s t a g e i n t h e p r o d u c t i o n s , back-up teams of

s t u d e n t s numbering a b o u t h a l f t h e s t u d e n t p o p u l a t i o n a t t h e t ime , were

involved: i n s e l l i n g t i c k e t s , d e s i g n i n g programmes, l o o k i n g a f t e r

p r o p e r t i e s , l i g h t i n g , prompting, e t c .

S p e c i a l mention must be made of K i t t y Barnes o f t h e E n g l i s h Department

who had a c l o s e r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h t h e s t u d e n t s t o t h e e x t e n t t h a t s h e

always knew ' j u s t t h e one' f o r a s p e c i a l job; o f B e r t Wood, who was

always r e a d y t o h e l p w i t h s e t c o n s t r u c t i o n ; of P h i l Marquet, who a t t e n d e d

t o movement and grouping on t h e s t a g e , a s w e l l as t o t h e d i c t i o n of

pe r fo rmers , and l a s t b u t n o t l e a s t of G r i f f . Duncan, whose l o v e o f "G and

S", gained from h i s e x p e r i e n c e s i n o t h e r performances, brought va lued

c r i t i c i s m and much en l igh tment o f t h e t e x t t o deve lop ing p roduc t ions .

I n any mus ica l p roduc t ion where, f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e , music and movement

a r e brought t o g e t h e r , t h e r e i s much o p p o r t u n i t y f o r h i l a r i t y , and f o r

f r u s t r a t i o n on t h e p a r t of t h e producer. S t u d e n t s who had 'two l e f t

f e e t ' and who cou ld n o t coun t were a p t t o t u r n M a r j o r i e Snedden i n t o a

' f i r e - e a t e r ' on t h e s e occas ions .

I n l a t e r y e a r s wi th t h e growth of t h e Col lege , t h e cur r i cu lum was

extended t o i n c l u d e Music and A r t Courses. New t a l e n t was brought t o t h e

p roduc t ion l i n e . Th i s gave David Gee o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o deve lop h i s l a t e r

t a l e n t a s a conductor o f "G and S" i n Newcastle and Dale Blunden

( F a r r e l l ) t o t a k e on l e a d i n g r o l e s w i t h t h e Newcastle " G and S" S o c i e t y .

The o l d days s p e n t i n t h e s e endeavours brought good r e s u l t s : s t u d e n t s

gained i n conf idence and p o i s e , c u l t i v a t e d a t a s t e f o r t h e s t a g e and f o r

music, and, perhaps most i m p o r t a n t l y , l e a r n e d t o o r g a n i s e t h e i r t ime.

S t rong bonds were formed between s t u d e n t s and s t a f f , and between t h e

Col lege and t h e community. I n any reun ion of ex-s tuden t s "G and S" w i l l

u s u a l l y f e a t u r e i n c o n v e r s a t i o n s which b e g i n w i t h "Do you remember ....."

THE STORY OF DRAMA (1951-61) AT N.T.C.

Huldah M. Turner ( f o r I I . M . Turner and

P.A. Marquet)

From i t s beginning i n 1949 Newcastle Teachers ' Col lege developed and

mainta ined a t r a d i t i o n of a c t i v e and ou t s t and ing drama achievement.

Mr. Duncan, t h e f i r s t P r i n c i p a l , b e l i eved i n f reedon and c r e a t i v i t y ; and

i t was h i s phi losophy which gave t h e Col lege drama i t s d i r e c t i o n i n t h e

fo rma t ive y e a r s by i n c l u d i n g Drama i n t h e cu r r i cu lum and by g i v i n g i t

p e r s o n a l and u n s t i n t e d suppor t .

U l t ima t e ly t h e r e were t h r e e o u t l e t s f o r drama a c t i v i t y : Drama Options i n

bo th y e a r s , a s t r o n g Drama Club, and a f t e r t h e f i r s t Graduates emerged

from t h e f l e d g i n g Newcastle Un ive r s i t y Col lege , t h e Drama c o u r s e s f o r our

Diploma i n Educat ion s t u d e n t s .

Under t h e guidance of t h e f i r s t l e c t u r e r i n Speech and Drama, C l i v e

Hoffman, d ramat ic performances through Opt ions and t h e Club had a l r e a d y

been launched. So when I a r r i v e d i n 1951, I c a r r i e d on f rom t h e r e .

A s 1951 was t h e s e squ i cen t ena ry of t h e Dec l a r a t i on of t h e Commonwealth of

A u s t r a l i a , t h e f i r s t i t e m on t h e Drama programme ( a s i t w a s a l s o i n t h e

l o c a l s choo l s ) was a reenactment of t h e ceremony t h a t marked t h a t even t .

Much r e sea r ch i n t o t e x t and costume, as w e l l as i n t e n s e r e h e a r s a l ,

fo l lowed. A shoe - s t r i ng budget meant t h a t t h e J u s t i c e s ' r obes and wigs

had t o be home-made - c o t t o n wool and Woolworth's d i s c l o t h s and s c a r l e t

gowns were des igned and made by L e i l a Whi t t l e . We borrowed from anyone

who w a s w i l l i n g t o l end : f o r example, t h e Bishop 's mitre and cope came

from S t . P e t e r ' s -Anglican Church a t Hamilton by c o u r t e s y of Canon

S ing l e . P h i l i p Marquet, a t t h a t t ime on t h e s t a f f of Newcastle Boys'

High, provided t h e guns and ammunition f o r t h e Royal S a l u t e . I n a s p e c i a l

programme a t No.2 Oval , where hundreds of s c h o o l c h i l d r e n p a r t i c i p a t e d i n

song and dance , t h e reenactment was s t a g e d , and Phi l i p Marquet d e l i v e r e d

t h e 21-gun s a l u t e on c u e .

I n t h a t y e a r t h e Drama Option group produced "Emperor Jones" by Eugene

O 'Ne i l l . T h i s was a n A u s t r a l i a n premiere and t h e main p a r t was t a k e n by

none o t h e r t h a n one Douglas Iluxley, now P r i n c i p a l of t h e I n s t i t u t e .

P h i l i p Marquet a g a i n came t o o u r a i d w l t h t h e n e c e s s a r y f i r e a r m s - r i f l e s

and b lanks . We l e f t a n a b i d i n g l e g a c y of t h i s p r o d u c t i o n i n Newcastle

Techn ica l High School: one o f t h e b l a n k s was f i r e d i n t h e wrong

d i r e c t i o n and b l a s t e d a l a r g e and i r r e p a r a b l e h o l e i n t h e brand-new,

s p e c i a l l y des igned s t a g e c u r t a i n s . I n t h i s p r o d u c t i o n o l d newspapers

were c u t i n t o s t r i p s t o make 'palm' h a t s , a c h o r e under taken by S h e i l a

Mor ia r ty .

I n 1952 P h i l i p Marquet j o i n e d t h e Col lege s t a f f a s L e c t u r e r i n Speech and

Drama, and from t h e n o n , f o r a decade , he and I worked a s Advise r s on t h e

Drama programme. I n t h a t same y e a r t h e Col lege moved from i t s 'cuckoo'

o c c u p a t i o n a t Broadmeadow t o i t s long-term ' temporary ' sccommodation i n

Union S t r e e t . From t h e n o n , Co l lege play-product ion gas e x c l u s i v e l y a

Club a c t i v i t y .

The t r a n s f e r l o s t u s t h e u s e o f a f i n e h a l l and s t a g e , and f o r y e a r s w e

had t o r e h e a r s e i n l ec tu re - rooms and p r i v a t e homes, ,and 'borrow' s c h o o l

h a l l s i n t h e a r e a f o r f i n a l p roduc t ions . Newcastle Boys' High Schoo l ,

Newcastle G i r l s ' High Schoo l , and Newcastle Techn ica l High School were

generous i n making t h e i r h a l l s a v a i l a b l e t o u s o v e r -lnd o v e r a g a i n , and

when t h e Dip.Ed. s t u d e n t s a r r i v e d l a t e r o n , we used t h e Union H a l l a t

T i g h e ' s H i l l Techn ica l c o l l e g e .

I n r e t r o s p e c t we wonder how s o much was achieved under such a d v e r s e

c o n d i t i o n s . The main problem, o f c o u r s e was imagining, i n t h e r e s t r i c t e d

a r e a s f o r r e h e a r s a l and p r e p a r a t i o n of s e t s and costumes, t h e scope of a

r e a l s t a g e . Another problem was transporting l o a d s t o t h e s c h o o l h a l l s

a f t e r s c h o o l hours and t o remove a l l s i g n s of o c c u p s t i o n b e f o r e t h e n e x t -- s c h o o l day began. T i r e d c a s t and crew had t o b e up b e t i m e s t o meet t h e s e

c o n d i t i o n s , and many a n anx ious hour w e had idher1 t r l ~ r k s f s i l e d t o a r r i v e

on t ime.

We o p e r a t e d f o r a long pe r iod i n t h i s f a s h i o n producing e a c h y e a r a t

l e a s t f o u r One-Act p l a y s (sometimes n i n e o r t e n ) and one Three-Act P l a y .

A l l t h i s a c t i v i t y was e x t c a - c u r r i c u l a r . The c o n d i t i o n s engendered a

f e l l o w s h i p t o be env ied . We b a t t l e d a l o n g t o g e t h e r , working f o r weeks on

end t 111 l a t e i n t o t h e n i g h t . I n c i d e n t a l l y , w e made s u r e t h a t eve ryone

p a r t i c i p a t i n g a r r i v e d home s a f e l y .

The main purpose of t h e One-4ct programme was t h a t s t u d e n t s who wanted

t h e e x p e r i e n c e o f a c t i n g shou ld have i t , and t h o s e who wanted t o t r y

t h e i r hands a t p r o d u c t i o n shou ld t r y it. B e l i e v e i t o r n o t , t h e r e were

i n C o l l e g e i n t h o s e y e a r s s t u d e n t s who had never s e e n a p l a y , much less

s c t e d i n one. The s t u d e n t s chose t h e i r own p l a y s and a t t e m p t e d t o put

i n t o t h e i r p r o d u c t i o n s t h e p r i n c i p l e s t h e y e x p l o r e d i n t h e Opt ions - r e g a r d i n g s t a g e s e t t i n g s , s t y l e s snd t e c h n i q u e s , d e c o r , make-up, l i g h t i n g

e t c . The Three-Act p l a y , on t h e o t h e r hand, was s e l e c t i v e l y c a s t , w i t h

t h e aim o f producing a n a r t - fo rm. It w a s regarded a s a s p e c i a l p r i v i l e g e

t o be invo lved i n t h i s p r o d u c t i o n , and i n t h e main, p a r t i c i p a t i o n was

r e s e r v e d f o r s t u d e n t s i n t h e i r F i n a l Year, who had a l r e s d y p r e v i o u s l y

proved t h e i r i n t e r e s t and a b i l i t y . S t u d e n t s were a l s o s t r o n g l y

encouraged t o w r i t e t h e i r orm p l a y s and two of t h e s e were produced by

t h e i r m i t e r s - ' R e h e a r s a l No.1' by John Avery (now a School P r i n c i p a l )

and 'The Cap ta in Laughs a t Dusk' by Atho l Hutchinson (now a S p e c i a l

Master a t Cessnock Nigh s c h o o l ) .

F i n a l l y came t h e C o l l e g e ' s long-planned, l o n g - a ~ s i t e d new h a l l w i t h i t s

g l o r i o u s s p a c e , l a r g e s t o r a g e a r e a s , rooms t o work i n and i n which t o

l e a v e u n f i n i s h e d b u s i n e s s , l i g h t i n g i n s t a l l a t i o n s , and r e h e a r s a l s on our

own s t a g e i n o u r own h a l l . We even had a k i t c h e n ! It w a s h e r e t h a t - - Agnes Smith made some o f t h e huge c u r t a i n s f o r t h e s t a g e .

With t h e C l u b ' s h a r d work went much fun. Every y e a r v e t o o k One-Act

p l a y s t o t h e S i n g l e t o n Drama F e s t i v a l , and , though w e b rough t home no

t r o p h i e s ( o f t e n because o u r c a s t were ' t o o y o u t h f u l ' ) t h e r e were h i g h

commendations f o r our work. E s p e c i a l l y inelnorable were "Words on a

Window-Pane' and 'Happiness , my Goal ' . There were t o o t h e Drama Camps,

sometimes a t Coal P o i n t Y.M.C.A. House and sometimes ,it Shoa l Bay. Camps

were des igned t o p u t t h e f i n a l p o l i s h on p r o d u c t i o n s b e f o r e they went

p u b l i c . I n between i n t e n s i v e r e h e a r s a l s t h e r e were t h e u s u a l Camp

r e l a x a t i o n s . The meals p repared by L e i l a W h i t t l e and h e r Home S c i e n t i s t s

were e s p e c i a l l y b r i g h t s p o t s .

Then from 1957 on, a l l Dip.Ed. s t u d e n t s , whatever t h e i r f a c u l t i e s , were

r e q u i r e d t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n Drama p r o d u c t i o n - t h i s was p a r t of t h e i r

c u r r i c u l u m and was examinable. They o p e r a t e d a s a n independent u n i t and

were comple te ly r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e i r own produc t ion .

Some of t h e Three-Act p l a y s p r e s e n t e d i n t h e s e y e a r s were "Emperor Jones"

(produced t w i c e by two s e p a r a t e p r o d u c e r s ) , "Foun ta ins Beyond", " B l i t h e

S p i r i t " , "Wind of Heaven", "Dear Brutus" , "De i rd re of t h e Sorrows",

"Black Chif fon" , "Quiet Weekend", "Playboy of t h e Western World",

"Medea", and a r e c i t a l w i t h t a b l e a u x of Douglas S t e w a r t ' s "Glencoe".

Among t h e c o u n t l e s s One-Act p l a y s were "Thread o ' S c a r l e t " , " S h a l l We

J o i n t h e Lad ies?" , "The Lady of Larkspur Lot ion" and "The Green V e i l

Passes" .

I n t h e s e y e a r s Co l lege Drama was very much a S t a f f - S t u d e n t community

a f f a i r : Ber t Wood's ' c e d a r ' s t a i r c a s e , a f o c a l p o i n t i n "Wind o f

Heaven", w i l l be long remembered; Gordon E l l i o t t ' s c r e a t i o n of a

Har ley-S t ree t a c c e n t o u t of a n ocker A u s t r a l i a n one f o r t h e p s y c h i a t r i s t

i n "Black Chif fon" won much acc la im; t h e a s s i s t a n c e g i v e n by Col in Doyle

and Gordon E l l i o t t i n making-up a long s u c c e s s i o n o f ' c h a r a c t e r s ' , and by

Helen M o l l e r , who u n o b t r u s i v e l y brought h e r t a s t e and e x p e r t i s e t o bea r

on d e c o r and movement was g r e a t l y a p p r e c i a t e d . Harold G i l l a r d was

q u i e t l y h e l p f u l i n many ways. There was a c u t e S t a f f i n t e r e s t i n t h e

c h o i c e of t h e Three-Act p l a y e v e r y yea r . A s Drama Advise r s , P h i l i p and I

s u p e r v i s e d a l l r e h e a r s a l s , and t h e P r i n c i p a l was d w a y s s u p p o r t i v e ,

p a r t i c u l a r l y i n t h e f i n a l s t a g e s of a p roduc t ion .

Out of t h e s e performances r i s e a h o s t of memories. Some i n s i s t on b e i n g

recorded . Michael Taper (well-known t o Newcastle play-going a u d i e n c e s )

was a ' n a t u r a l ' a s Lob i n "Dear Brutus". (The p e r i o d c h a i r s f o r t h i s

p r o d u c t i o n we borrowed from a n a n t i q u e shop, and t h e y a re now p a r t o f my

own lounge room f u r n i t u r e ) . And Michael Taper a g a i n i s remembered a s a n

a u t h e n t i c Leonardo d a Vinc i . K a r l L e v e t t d i s t i n g u i s h e d h imse l f as t h e

a b o r i g i n e i n "Fountains Beyond". ( K a r l i s now 3 c r i t i c o f p l a y s i n

London and New York). The e l e g a n t and d i s t i n g u i s h e d Jan Bain, p r e s i d e n t

o f t h e Club i n h e r time and t h e b l i t h e s p i r i t o f " B l i t h e S p i r i t " , now

l i v e s i n London w i t h h e r husband, Drama-Producer Roystnn Morley. The

i r r e p r e s s i b l e Kevan Gosper o f Olympic fame i s now a Managing D i r e c t o r of

t h e S h e l l O i l company. C o l i n Anderson, who produced c l e v e r and s t y l i s h

U n i v e r s i t y Revues, and who pu t on a t C o l l e g e a n o t n e r p roduc t ion of

"Emperor Jones" w i t h d e c o r by Tony T r i p p , i s now L e c t u r e r i n Drama a t

R iver ina C.A.E.. J i l F o s t e r ' s b e a u t i f u l v o i c e r e c i t i n g t h e "Glencoe"

b a l l a d sequence - "Sigh, wind i n t h e p i n e s " - s t i l l h a u n t s t h e memory, as

do h e r f o u r d i f f e r e n t v o i c e s f o r t h e c h a r a c t e r s S w i f t , Vanessa, S t e l l a

and a Chi ld i n "Words o n a Window-Pane". John Cohen who played i n "The

Rose and t h e C r o m " i s now 3 l e c t u r e r a t Canberra C.4.E.. Neat, t r i m

l i t t l e Wendy B r e t t had a f l a i r f o r programme d e s i g n and a quick b r i g h t

w i t . C h a r l e s Grahame, now Manager o f a n A.B.C. S t a t i o n , was s k i l f u l and

po l i shed and a n i n f u r i a t i n g ad- l ibber . Vic Rooney who f l i t t e d a c r o s s t h e

s c e n e , w i t h o t h e r f i s h t o f r y , now s t a r s i n professio.121 t h e a t r e and

f i l m s - and t h e Col lege i s v e r y proud t o c l a i m him. Ken J.ongworth o f t h e

Dip.Ed. g roup and co-producer o f "Our Town" by Thornton i J i l d e r i s now s

well-known c r l t i c f o r "The Newcastle Morning Herald" - 110 must s e e more

p l a y s t h a n anyone i n N e ~ c a s t l e . David Gee and Jacque l i r l c 'Isgennis of t h e

l o v e l y s i n g i n g v o i c e b o t h gave t h e i r t a l e n t s t o t h e l k m a and Music

Clubs. Who c a n f o r g e t Kay Flanagan, producer of "Mede-i", w l t t l h e r d a r k ,

f l a s h i n g e y e s , and a n a c c u r a t e aim w i t h a p i e c e o f cl i- i lk, and a f l u e n t

s t r e a m o f f l a g e l l a t i n g language ( 'Mrs. T, would you miml Lezving t h e room

s o t h a t I c a n t e l l t h e c a s t what I t h i n k o f them!); o r Rober t 'Yo-Yo'

l l a rb in o f " B l i t h e S p i r i t " , now a School P r i n c i p a l , combining yo-yo s k i l l s

w i t h s e r i o u s a c t i n g ; o r Bery l B lunde l l s u r r e p t i t i o u s l y h y p n o t i s i n g t h e

c a s t between cues ; o r , o f c o u r s e , George FIutchinson, pr12.; i d e n t , and one

o f t h e most hard-working members o f t h e Club, w!~ose t r n g i - d e a t h s tunned

t h e Col lege . (The George Hutchinson Memorial P r i z e , a r irrl .d a n n u a l l y f o r

Drama i s a t r i b u t e t o h i s o u t s t a n d i n g c o n t r i b u t i o n t o Co?Lege Drama and

h a s become p x t of t h e Col lege t r a d i t i o n ) .

For many r e a s o n s we must remember "Wind of Heaven", produced by Kevin

McDonald, now a w e l l known Col lege l e c t u r e r and c o n s e r v a t i o n i s t ; and i n

t h e same p l a y , t h e b e a u t i f u l g i l d e d h a r p , a g i f t t o E l s i e a p Thomas from

t h e King of Belgium, and l e n t by h e r t o t h e Col lege f o r t h e

performances . E l s i e Thomas had been crowned Bard of a Welsh E i s t e d d f o d a

y e a r o r two b e f o r e . For t h e f o u r n i g h t s of d r e s s r e h e a r s a l and

performance s h e and h e r husband t r a v e l l e d down from K u r r i K u r r i w i t h t h e

h a r p i n a u t i l i t y t r u c k . We had much d i f f i c u l t y i n making c u r t a i n - r i s e ,

a s Mrs. Thomas would s i t c e n t r e s t a g e , p l a y i n g wi thou t s t o p b e a u t i f u l

Welsh melodies , w h i l e c a s t and crew c r e p t o u t and s a t on t h e

cedar-s t a i r c a s e , mesmerised. When we f i n a l l y b rough t a l l our t a c t t o

b e a r and managed c u r t a i n - u p , s h e would r e t i r e t o t h e wings where s h e

s t o o d th roughout t h e p l a y , h e r e y e s r i v e t e d on t h e ha rp . Then s h e took

i t back t o K u r r i K u r r i e v e r y n i g h t .

An army of o t h e r names and s c e n e s marches a c r o s s t h e y e a r s ; f o r t h e Drama

Club a lways had a ve ry s t r o n g membership, w i t h e v e r y member invo lved ,

a c t i n g , producing, s u p e r v i s i n g and d e v i s i n g s e t s , s c e n e s , p rops ,

cos tumes; s e r v i n g a s s t a g e crews, house managers, cooks o r whatever ; n o t

f o r g e t t i n g programme d e s i g n i n g and p r i n t i n g on t h e o l d much-used

G e s t e t n e r .

Pe rhaps we can be f o r g i v e n f o r naming some, o n l y some of t h e s e

hard-working t r o o p s : Barbara Ca ldwel l , Ruth Smal l , R i l l D r i s c o l l , Theo

v a n d e r Veen, Noel HcFayden, Pay B a r t l e t t , Tom McBride, Una B a r r , Don

F i lmer , P a t Biggs, Maureen Simpson, Judy McDonald, Judy McCaffrey, Merv

Sneddon, L o r r a i n e T a l b o t , Anne Renwick, Wendy S e a r l e , Joan Ryan, Helen

C l a r k , Joan C l a r k , Sandalene C l a r k , Tony Davis , Mar5arcr.t Henr i , E l i n

O'Connell , Bruce D e i t z , Tessa Wicks, Robyn Wood, John S i l l , S h i r l e y

Morr i s , Dick R e t a l l i c k , David Codon - t h e l i s t i s e n d l e s s .

To a l l we pay t r i b u t e f o r work v e r y w e l l done. We a r e g r a t i f i e d t h a t , a s

we passed a c r o s s t h i s 'drama-scape' , o u r d e s t i n i e s met even f o r a y e a r o r

two. A s s t u d e n t s , t h e s e peop le e n r i c h e d o u r l i v e s and t i le l i f e of t h e

College-Corporate. We know t h a t t h e y now e n r i c h t h e communities i n which

t h e y l i v e and s e r v e , s h a r i n g w i t h o t h e r s t h e i r v i s i o n and e x p e r t i s e .

COLLEGE DRAMA (1961-1973)

J e s s Dyce

College Drama performances such a s t hose presented by t h e Drama Club

dur ing my t ime a t Union S t r e e t were o f t e n t o be seen a s triumphs of

enthusiasm over unfavourable c i rcumstances: o f i n s u f f i c i e n t t i m e

a v a i l a b l e f o r p r e p a r a t i o n , f o r , a s an ex t r a - cu r r i cu l a r a c t i v i t y , Club

work was i n compet i t ion f o r s t u d e n t s ' e n e r g i e s wi th College and o u t s i d e

commitments; of t h e d i f f i c u l t y of f i n d i n g s u i t a b l e p l ays wi th more female

t han male a c t i n g p a r t s , f o r a t t h a t t i m e t h e popula t ion of t h e College

was predominantly female - c e r t a i n l y i t was a l uxu ry t o know t h a t t h e r e

were unders tud ies f o r p a r t s t aken by men; and of t h e d i f f e r e n t l e v e l s of

drama exper ience among s t u d e n t s , some c a s t s having t o i nc lude newcomers

t o t h e a r t (a l though t h i s was chee r fu ly accepted i n t h e i n t e r e s t s of

s t u d e n t involvement and s o c i a l development).

It was always worthwhile looking f o r a @ play , one t h a t had some

nove l ty and some nourishment i n i t , and one t h a t would ' p l a y i t s e l f ' t o

a n audience without having t o r e l y too much on shee r a c t i n g e x p e r t i s e - but of cou r se , we o f t e n had heart-warming s u r p r i s e s 'on t h e n i g h t ' .

When ( j u s t before t h e move t o Shor t land) t h e Club chose t h e 'b lack '

comedy " B i l l y L ia r " by Kei th Waterhouse, w e f e l t t h a t w e could no t go f a r

wrong. The p lay had a contemporary theme - on t h e problems of a boy wi th

some i n t e l l e c t u a l promise ou t of s t e p w i th t h e Welfare S t a t e i n Englsnd,

a t loggerheads wi th h i s funera l -par lour employer and h i s mother, i n

sympathy wi th h i s neg l ec t ed grandmother, and i n s t r i f e wi th h i s t h r e e

g i r l f r i e n d s , t o two of whom h e had becone engaged. The sma l l i sh c a s t

wi th many good p a r t s f o r women f i t t e d i n w e l l wi th our resources . The

p lay c a l l e d f o r one s e t on ly , bu t one which .could be va r i ed by t h e u se of

f l e x i b l e l i g h t i n g . The s t r u c t u r e of t h e s c e n e s and t h e d i a l o g u e were

f i r s t c l a s s . But t h e r e were two problems t o overcome, t h e s u s t a i n i n g o f

t h e North Country a c c e n t which gave s o much ' f l a v o u r ' t o t h e p l a y , and

t h e l a c k of a n unders tudy f o r B i l l y .

The s t u d e n t , l e t us c a l l him Tim, who took t h e p a r t of B i l l y was v e r y

w e l l c a s t , a lmos t type-cas t . He possessed a s t r i k i n g p r e s e n c e , a good

v o i c e , a c t i n g s k i l l s i n c l u d i n g a ve ry s e n s i t i v e command of 'body

language ' and f a c i a l e x p r e s s i o n , and he had a n e x c e l l e n t unders tand ing o f

B i l l y ' s predicaments . A l l he needed was t o memorize t h e l i n e s h e had t o

speak. (Thanks t o someone's Yorkshire grandmother, t h e c a s t ' s a c c e n t was

by t h e n t a k i n g s h a p e ) . But t h e end of t h e t e rm was approach ing and Tim's

l e c t u r e r s were demanding h i s now overdue ass ignments . I n a d d i t i o n t o h i s

Col lege a c t i v i t i e s h e was committed t o s i n g i n g i n a pop group (which was

no doubt a means of keep ing himself a f l o a t f i n a n c i a l l y ) . When t h e f i n a l

r e h e a r s a l was t o t a k e p l a c e , Tim knew a l l h i s l i n e s , h e s a i d b u t - h e had

e n t i r e l y l o s t h i s v o i c e . We had been s m i t t e n i n t h e A c h i l l e s tendon, f o r

t h e r e was no way t o r e p l a c e him. The on ly c o u r s e we cou ld t a k e was t o

postpone performances and w a i t u n t i l Tim recovered.

..................... During t h e ' S i x t i e s , Drama Opt ions and Club a c t i v i t i e s were p a r t o f my

r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s b u t t h e l a t t e r were shared w i t h o t h e r members of t h e

Engl i sh S t a f f . The two most memorable Club p roduc t ions t h a t I ' a d v i s e d ' ,

because they r e q u i r e d s t y l i s t i c d e c o r , l a r g e - s c a l e s trige grouping and

movements, s i n g i n g and danc ing , and demanding main r o l e s were J e a n

Anoui lh ' s "Les Mouches" ("Les F l i e s " ) and B e r t o l t B r e c h t ' s "Mother

Courage". (Here a r e some of t h e names t h a t remain w i t h me from t h o s e

s t i m u l a t i n g t imes : J i l l S c o t t , Ros.Stewart, Sue Cumminp,~, B i l l S t o r e r ,

Gary McDonald, Deane Done, Bob Sidlow, Kerry Davis , L o r r a i n e Pearce , P rue

Viggers , Wargaret Cummings - but I am aware t h a t marly t a l e n t e d peop le

have been o m i t t e d from t h i s l i s t ) .

Geoff.Atkinson, a l e c t u r e r who was soon t o l e a v e t h i s Col lege f o r t h e

Engl i sh S t a f f of New England U n i v e r s i t y , made a s i g n i f i c a n t c o n t r i b u t i o n

t o t h e Club i n t h e e a r l y ' S i x t i e s , which inc luded ' a d v i s i n ? ' a p r o d u c t i o n

of Thornton Wi lder ' s "Our Town". Des Davis, now a t Wollongong

U n i v e r s i t y ' s Department o f Drama, i s remembered f o r h i s involvement w i t h

Shakespeare ' s "A Midsummer Nigh t ' s Dream" and w i t h Ar thur M i l l e r ' s "The

Crucible" .

J a c k i e Thorpe, now f r e e - l a n c i n g i n Radio i n New Zealand, was r e s p o n s i b l e

f o r a v e r y b e a u t i f u l p r o d u c t i o n o f "Pat ience" f o r t h e Music Club when s h e

was a t Union S t r e e t . John Robsonts p roduc t ions of "White wi th Wire

Wheels" by Jack Hibberd and o f "Rooted" by Alex Buzo d i r e c t e d l o c a l

a t t e n t i o n t o t h e new wave o f A u s t r a l i a n p l a y s t h a t was emerging i n t h e

e a r l y 'Seven t ies . During t h e p e r i o d under d i s c u s s i o n a wide v a r i e t y o f

p l a y s was p resen ted t o t h e aud iences t h a t suppor ted Club a c t i v i t i e s .

....................... To mark t h e move t o t h e S h o r t l a n d Campus, t h e S.R.C. st Union S t r e e t

donated $3,000 i n p r i z e money f o r a n A u s t r a l i a n p l a y - w r i t i n g compet i t ion

( f o r p l a y s n o t p r e v i o u s l y performed i n t h e p r o f e s s i o n a l t h e a t r e ) . Up t o

t h a t t i m e , t h i s was t h e r i c h e s t compet i t ion o f i t s k ind i n A u s t r a l i a and

i t brought i n 200 e n t r i e s . Among t h e p r i z e winners were John Romeril f o r

"The F l o a t i n g World", J e n n i f e r Comption f o r "No Man's Land" and John

OtDonoghue, a t t h a t t ime on t h e s t a f f of t h e Col lege , f o r "A Happy and

Holy Occasion". John Robson and Col lege s t u d e n t s were t h e o r g a n i s e r s o f

t h e compet i t ion and on t h e pane l of judges were Ken H o r l e r (of t h e Nimrod

T h e a t r e ) , George Whaley, and P h i l l i p Parsons o f Sydney a n 3 Denis Bigg ins ,

P h i l i p S h o r t , J e n n i f e r Mathieson, John Robson and myself o f Newcastle.

I n t h i s way Newcastle Teachers ' Co l lege made a c o n t r i b u t i o n t o t h e

development o f p lay-wr i t ing i n ~ u s t r a k a .