Teachers’ College: A century of service

Press, 27 August 1977, Page 16

Teachers’ College: A century of service

By

MARGARET BUTLER

The centenary of the Christchurch " Teachers’ College is being celebrated his week-end by more han 1400 past and iresent students and staff. Since the college began is part of the old Normal school in 1877, thousands of people have been associated with it. It has the privilege now of being the only such college in New Zealand to offer teacher training at all levels: kindergarten, primary, secondary, and special education. There is a student roll of about 2000, and more than 200 lecturers, and administrative and technical staff. The college’s history can be seen in three distinct parts: the old Normal School, on the corner of Kiimore Street and Montreal Street; a teachers’ college across the road, on the corner of Montreal Street and Peterborough Street; and the new complex at Ilam. The need for a teacher training institutuion was highlighted in the 1870 s, when new schools and the introduction of compulsory education added to the teacher shortage. Teachers had been sought from England, and a local pupil-teacher system had been devised in which school pupils were engaged as teachers. But the shortage persisted. The Board of Education, set up the Provincial Council to provide for public education, agreed that a Normal School (a combined school and teacher-training institution) was essential. In 1875, the first part of the Halswell stone building was handed to the board. It did not function as a school until 1876, when children were transferred there from a Durham Street school.

In February, 1877, the first student teachers arrived, and the Normal School began to function as such.

In 1905, the term “training college” was adopted for official reference to the teacher-training section of the Normal School. As the years passed, a new college became a pressing want. The new building, in brick faced with grey Halswell stone and set off by facings of white Oamaru stone, was completed in stages from 1926 to 1930 — just before the Depression of the early 19305, which forced the college to close for several months. In the late 1950 s the word “training” was thought inappropriate, and the college became “Christchurch Teachers’ College.”

A major change to the College’s administration was made in 1954, when a secondary teacher-training department was set up under an associate principal. Although the college had always had a small group of secondary teacher trainees, this was the first attempt to make special provision for them. The secondary department grew quickly, and this was recognised in 1968, when the college’s primary and secondary divisions were given their own principals, viceprincipals and deans. Later, a co-ordinated administration with a principal and deputy principal for the college as a whole was introduced, as well as a director and assistant director of programmes for each division. This coincided with the integration of kindergarten teachers, from the Kindergarten Teachers’ College on the corner of Salisbury Street and Park Terrace, with the primary and secondary teacher trainees. One of the college’s main developments came

in 1968, when approval was given for the setting up of a Teachers’ College Council. The Canterbury Education Board had been responsible for the immediate control of teacher education in its area.

The council was set up the next year, with Professor H. E. Field, a former professor of education at Canterbury University College, as chairman.

In 1970, the college took another major step forward when its secondary division moved to Ilam. The 14 acres of land there, bounded on one side by Dovedale Avenue, had been bought in 1966. Next year, the primary and kindergarten divisions and the special education department, which are still on the central city site, will move to Ilam. The college’s special education department has expanded rapidly over the years. At first, the problems of children with speech difficulties were dealt with as part of the general teaching course. Now, after a one-year general teaching course, students spend two years specialising in speech and speech-related topics. Courses are also available for teachers and advisers of the deaf. In 1976, the college took its first intake of trainee teachers of handicapped children. The college’s link with the University of Canterbury since the early days has strengthened. Each year training college students take part-time courses at the university, and several hundred studentships are granted to full-time university students attached to the teachers’ college. The Hutt Valley Outpost Centre, attached to the college’s secondary division, has been established. It offers full-time, oneyear courses, mainly for married women unable to finish or refresh their training in Christchurch.