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Newcastle Teachers' College

Images from the Pioneer Session
1949-1950

Introduction

The end of the Second World War saw an unprecedented increase in Australia's population with the advent of the "baby boomers" and new immigration policies.

To provide the additional teachers for infant and primary schools the New South Wales Department of Education began to establish additional teacher training colleges - Wagga Wagga 1947, Balmain 1948, Newcastle 1949, Bathurst 1950.  Wollongong, Lismore and Goulburn were to follow.

Students with appropriate Leaving Certificate qualifications were recruited by way of a two-year scholarship, which included a three-year bond and a requirement for three years country service.  The value of the scholarship equated to three guineas per week for students living away from home and two guineas for the others.

Temporary accommodation for the Newcastle College was to be in a building designed as the Manual Arts Department of what was to become Newcastle Boys' Technical High School in Chatham Road, Broadmeadow.

Unfortunately on enrolment day, Tuesday, 2nd March 1949 the building was not complete and the whole area was no more than a building site.  As a result the students were dispersed to schools for practice teaching to begin the following day.

For some students the vision of a college with manicured playing fields and convenient dormitories was shattered.  Improvisation and initiative by both staff and students became a feature of their college experience which enabled them to survive on a meagre scholarship allowance while training and then as teachers where they had to cope with poor accommodation, oversized classes and lack of teaching material.

The majority of the 181 pioneer students came directly from a variety of public and private high schools in the Hunter Region.  Others came from the North Coast Central Coast and the Sydney area.  A few accepted scholarships after work experience and a few were ex-servicemen.

The students came from diverse backgrounds and went on to work at different professional levels.  Some rose to positions of power and influence while others gained satisfaction from maintaining direct contact with pupils in classrooms.

Unknowingly, as college students, they were establishing standards and traditions, which would enhance the name of the college, and its acceptance by the Newcastle community would encourage civic leaders to strive for the establishment of a university.

In time the college moved to temporary accommodation in Union Street Newcastle, before finding a permanent campus at Shortland. It was here that diversification to an Advanced College of Education took place and ultimately the amalgamation with the University of Newcastle.

Pioneer students and staff are most grateful to the Community Programs Department of the University for its support with the organisation of a celebration on l0th September, 1999 to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Newcastle Teachers College. Gratitude also goes to the Cultural Collections Unit for its co-operation with research and initiative in establishing this web site.

Mr Arthur Harris
July 1999

PIONEER SESSION EARLY APPOINTEES

In August, 1950, twenty-nine students were selected on Practice Teaching Merit and Advanced Final Examination Results for early appointment to schools. This emergency action was taken by the Department of Education because of the increasing enrolment crisis in Primary Schools, particularly in Infants’ Departments. Had not the N. S. W. Teachers’ Federation intervened, a larger number of students would have been selected. The Federation expressed concern over the reduced training time. Of the twenty-one females selected, nineteen came from Section 6, which specialised in Infants’ Teaching Methods and two ( Marie Bailey and Joan Gibson ) came from General Primary Sections. Of the eight males selected, four were ex-servicemen from World War 11 and one was a mature-aged student. Five of the men were from Section 7, which specialised in developing teachers for one teacher schools and three, all ex-servicemen, were from General Primary Sections. Section 6, with its numbers to be reduced from thirty-nine to twenty, celebrated with a Farewell Dinner in August. So, Friday, 11th August, 1950, was the last day of college for these Pioneers and they began their teaching careers on Tuesday, 12th September, the first day of Third Term, 1950.

Arthur Harris
4th October, 1999.