75th Anniversary School of Education - Newcastle (Australia)

 

1949-1974 - Newcastle Teachers College

1974-1988 - Newcastle College of Advanced Education 

1988-1989 - Hunter Institute of Higher Education

1989 - Amalgamation with University of Newcastle

 

Newcastle Teachers' College (AGY-3561 | Newcastle Teachers' College
NSW State Archives Collection)

 

The Newcastle Teachers’ College was established as an agency of the N.S.W. Department of Education in 1949, and commenced operation on the 28th February, in temporary occupation of premises at Broadmeadow which were being constructed for the Newcastle Technical High School. The College’s Principal was Mr Griffith H. Duncan, who had previously been Vice-Principal at Wagga Wagga Teachers’ College. The College moved into more nearly permanent premises at Union Street, Newcastle in 1951. [1]

The college conducted two year courses for the training of primary school teachers together with specialist courses in music and art in conjunction with the Newcastle Conservatorium of Music and the Department of Technical Education respectively. Working closely with the University of Newcastle the college also provided a professional year for students who had received teaching scholarships tenable at University. These students were awarded a Diploma in Education and usually taught in secondary schools. In addition to the initial training of teachers, post-college courses were conducted in the college vacations to enable working teachers to learn about new methods and ideas in education. [2]

In July, 1973, the Minister for Education appointed an Interim Council for the College, to advise him and to undertake forward planning in advance of the impending transformation of the Teachers’ College into a College of Advanced Education. [3] In February, 1974 the College moved again, to a new site at Waratah West, adjacent to the University of Newcastle. [4] It was then given administrative independence, from the 1st July, 1974, by delegations of authority to the Interim Council to enable it to handle administrative matters which had previously been dealt with directly by the Department of Education. [5]

On the 1st October, 1974, the College was declared a corporate college under the Higher Education Act, 1969, with the name of the Newcastle College of Advanced Education [6], and from that date the Newcastle Teachers’ College ceased to exist. [7]

End notes
[1] Newcastle Teachers’ College Calendar, 1960, p.17
[2] Report of the Minister for Education for 1966 p. 39, 41 in NSW parliamentary Papers 1968 p. 101, 103.
[3] Newcastle College of Advanced Education Calendar, 1976, p.3.
[4] Newcastle College of Advanced Education Calendar, 1976, p.3.
[5] ibid., p.62; Minutes of the Interim Council, p.33.
[6] N.S.W. Government Gazette, No.114 (20th September, 1974), p.3636; Higher Education Act, 1969, Section 16(1) & (2).
[7] Newcastle College of Advanced Education Calendar, 1976, p.3.