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For nearly eighty years the Free Church and Church
of Scotland had been largely responsible for teacher training in Scotland.
However, the church training colleges were finding it increasingly
difficult to respond to the rapid changes taking place in the education
service. Towards the
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end of the 19th century secondary schools were developing as an identifiable
sector and in 1901 the school leaving age was raised to 14. Students could
leave schools with a variety of qualifications, including an Intermediate
Certificate for those taking courses in industrial, commercial, rural and
household subjects, and a Leaving Certificate for those intending to take
up a profession. The training colleges were unable to increase the number
of trainee teachers particularly those requiring specialist training in secondary
subjects. In 1905 there were only 700 student teachers in training whereas
the SED forecast was for some 1,100 additional teachers. The churches were
also unable to respond to the need to upgrade the accommodation of their
training colleges.
To overcome these problems teacher training became a responsibility of the
government (SED Minute of 30 January 1905). It was no longer considered reasonable
for the churches to cope with the complexity and increasing costs involved.
Consequently four representative Provincial Committees were established in
Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and St Andrews/Dundee. By 1907 the legal transfer
of the church colleges had been completed: the United Free Churches were
reimbursed £10,000 for their three colleges and the Church of Scotland £15,000
for theirs. The Edinburgh Provincial Committee (EPC) became responsible (1/5/1907)
for the Free Church’s facilities at the Moray House site, and the Church
of Scotland’s buildings in Chambers Street and Johnston Terrace. The
principal condition of the churches in agreeing to this major change was
that religious instruction should be maintained in the curriculum of the
colleges. Two other colleges were also responsible to the EPC: St
George’s
Training College and the Episcopal Church’s
Training College.
St George’s Training College:
The College was founded in 1886 as a voluntary institution. For nineteen
years it was the only institution in Scotland where women wishing to teach
in other than Elementary Schools could obtain training. Its students followed
Chapter V courses enabling them to teach in secondary and higher schools.
These courses included work undertaken at Edinburgh University classes.
In 1913 the College was amalgamated with St George’s High School
for Girls, Edinburgh. It afforded women students an alternative teacher
training facility in Edinburgh. The early development of the College was
the work of the first Principal, Miss M R Walker (1886 – 1910) who
was supported by Professor Simon Laurie amongst others. In 1921 the College
had 40 students training either for the Froebel qualification or for a
Chapter V certificate in subjects such as English, History or the Classics.
It closed in 1939.
Teacher Training and the Episcopal Church:
The Church’s first Training College was opened in 1850 and based
in Croft – an – Righ. The College was later transferred to
St Andrews Hall, Leith Wynd, when it included a Normal School. From 1860
only women students were trained. In May 1866 it moved to Lochrin/Minto
House. A further move was made in 1877 to Dalry House where a Practising
School was also opened in the grounds, in May 1881. All the women students
were residential which aided the community life of the college and its
religious discipline. The College was transferred to the Edinburgh Provincial
Centre in 1920.
Dr Maurice Paterson, Rector at Moray House since 1864, retired in 1907 after
43 of service to teacher training at the college.
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The EPC appointed to the Directors of Studies post the Head teacher
of Boroughmuir Higher Grade Public School, John King. Alexander
Morgan (pictured left), who was Rector of the Church of Scotland
Training College in Edinburgh, became the Edinburgh Teaching Centre's
first Principal.
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In 1908 the Edinburgh Centre (Moray House) had already increased its number
of students to 770. Women students from the Church of Scotland centre were
transferred to Moray House whilst the men were initially based at Johnston
Terrace. With such large numbers lectures were the predominant method of
teaching. To accommodate the students a new building was planned and opened
in 1913 (now Paterson’s Land). Johnston Terrace was sold to the Town
Council and Chambers Street to Edinburgh University.
Paterson's
Land at Moray House 1913
The Regulations issued at this time revised the former pattern of teacher
training. Junior Students replaced Pupil Teachers, although these were not
recruited after 1924. School students aged 15-18 and who intended
to join the teaching profession would take a specially designed secondary
education in designated secondary schools with their work being supplemented
by additional classes in subjects appropriate for primary school teaching.
Students passing their examinations progressed to the Senior Studentship
course at a training centre. William B Inglis (Director of Studies/Principal
of Moray House from 1951 to 1966) followed this route through Paisley Grammar
School. At the training centre students came to be categorised into ‘Chapters’ according
to their entry qualifications and whether they intended to teach in a primary
or secondary school.
Training ‘Chapters’:
Students entering
from a Junior Studentship followed the Chapter III course leading to a
qualification to teach in primary schools. The course was of 2, 3 or later
4 years duration. There was also the opportunity to take courses at Edinburgh
University. The professional curriculum was laid down by the SED. The Training
Centre components emphasised education and teaching - related subjects:
psychology, ethics, logic and principles, educational thinkers and reformers.
This emphasis on primary school pedagogy and the art of teaching was widely
welcomed. Ordinary graduates followed a one year Chapter III professional
course. From 1924 the Teacher’s
General Certificate was the award enabling students to teach in primary
schools.
All students intending to become secondary school teachers had to have
a good Honours degree. They followed a one year Chapter V professional
training course at a Training Centre. Chapter V students went on to teach
higher subjects in secondary schools such as English, Mathematics and
Science. From 1924 students were awarded the Teacher’s Special Certificate
for the specific subject in which they were qualified.
Chapter VI students were admitted with a Diploma from a Central Institution
to undertake a ‘special subject’ course in a subject such
as Art, Technical or Agriculture. From 1924 these students were awarded
a Teacher’s Technical Certificate in their specialist subject.
It was at this time that teaching practice opportunities became more widely
available in local schools. The Moray House School became more of a Demonstration and experimental school. On the successful completion of their training students
would undertake a two year probationary period in approved schools, after
which they would be awarded their Teaching Certificate (or ‘parchment’).
By 1915 all teachers in Scotland’s state schools were required to possess
a Teaching Certificate. Uncertificated teachers had to undergo a training
programme by December 1914 or lose their provisional recognition. The 1906
Regulations et seq resulted in Scotland having a fully trained and certificated
teaching profession and one which was proving to be attractive to university
graduates.
The 1918 Education (Scotland) Act rationalised the management of the state
school system by replacing the then 1000 School Boards with County or City
Education Authorities. Once again no reference was made to the training colleges.
However, an SED Minute of 1920 established a National
Committee for the Training of Teachers (NCTT). In the light of the establishment of the Education Authorities
and their responsibility for the costs of teacher training their representatives
comprised a majority of the membership of the NCTT. The four Provincial Committees
continued with EPC responsible for Moray House.
The inter war years saw a number of curricular and social changes. Reformers
such as Montessori, who were advocates of a child centred approach to children’s
education, became more influential. Experimental psychology developed into
a core component of the training centre curriculum. From an initial emphasis
on psychoanalytic approaches the emphasis moved to the testing of children’s
abilities.
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Alexander Darroch was Bell Professor of Education
at Edinburgh University, but following his death in 1924, and the
retirement of Alexander Morgan, it was agreed that the two roles
of Bell Chair of Education and Director of Studies at Moray House
should be combined. Godfrey Thomson was
appointed to these two roles in 1925. He was a key figure in the
development of the testing of children’s abilities. By 1948 Moray
House Tests were being
given to two out of three British children and were used and recognised
throughout the world.
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Room 70 in the then Main Building
(now Paterson’s Land) became famous as the research and development
centre for such tests. Whilst Godfrey Thomson himself was in favour of
comprehensive secondary schools, his work on testing provided the basis
for the system of 11+ selection introduced in England in the 1940s.
On the student residencies side, additional purpose built hostels were
constructed at East Suffolk Road (Newington Campus) and the first Student
Representative Councils were established at this time.
Teacher training was not immune from the economic problems of the 1930s
and the period of expansion of the first years of the twentieth century was
followed by a period of reduced student numbers. Not only was there teacher
unemployment but those remaining in employment were faced with a 10% cut
in their salary in1931.
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on to Part 6
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or read more about Alexander Morgan and
Godfey Thomson
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or read more about East Suffolk Road (Newington Campus)
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