| Administrative History | Aberdeen Church of Scotland Training College existed from 1874 - 1907. Dr. Joseph Ogilvie, first lecturer in Education at Aberdeen University (1893), was the Rector of the College throughout its entire history. The governing bodies in this era were 'Committees of Management', with heavy representation from the church and the university. The student intake was female non-graduates, mostly local, and men were not admitted until 1887. The training was two years and the subjects of examination (from 1887) were reading, grammar, composition, arithmetic, geography, history, music, language (usually Latin), scripture and school management. In 1900 the Scottish Education Department required all scientific instruction to be practical so Colleges had to build laboratories. Students interested in acquiring more demanding subject knowledge were encouraged to attend concurrent classes at the University. In the early days Ogilivie taught all subjects, with the exception of domestic economy, dancing and drawing. In total, 1404 students enrolled in the College, all but 108 coming from the northern region. Soon after the College had expanded considerably from its original environs: from its base in George Street, it had acquired an entrance on Charlotte Street (1887) and a new extension to its George Street premises (1889). |
| Custodial History | 4 cards initialled by PJ Anderson but direct provenance is not known. |
| Related Material | Published material relating to the College are held in Special Libraries & Archives Local Collection (open access):
Normal Standard, issues 1-8, 1903-1904 (1 volume)
Honour to Joseph Ogilvie, Esq. M.A., LL.D. Celebration of jubilee and of termination of Rectorship of Church of Scotland Training College/Presentation of portrait painted by Sir George Reid in the Mitchell Hall, Marischal College 4th January, 1908 (Aberdeen Free Press, 1908)
Distribution of prizes and close of the Session, June 30th, 1905 : probable retirement of the Rector, Dr. Joseph Ogilvie [S.l. : s.n.], 1905
Joseph Ogilvie and his first twenty-one classes (Aberdeen: s.n, 1896)
Aberdeen Church of Scotland: Records of the classes from 1874-75 to 1894-95 (Elizabeth Cleland, ed., Aberdeen : Privately printed at the Adelphi Press, 1896)
Appendix to records of classes from 1874-75 to 1894-95 (Aberdeen : Privately printed at the Albany Press, 1907). (Includes photo groups of staff and students).
Aberdeen Church of Scotland: Records of the classes from 1895-96 to 1905-07 (Elizabeth Cleland, ed., Aberdeen : Privately printed at the Adelphi Press, 1907). (Includes photo groups of staff and students).
Additional records of Class 1887-88 for the years 1896 to 1904/Printed for circulation at Class Re-Union, held within the College Buildings, Charlotte Street on Saturday, 25th June, 1904 ([S.l. : s.n.], 1904)
The Normal School in connection with the Church of Scotland Training College, Aberdeen. Session 1894-95/Prospectus, session 1894-95. Prize and merit list, session 1893-94 (Aberdeen : [s.n.], 1894? (G. Cornwall and Sons, Printers and Lithographers, Aberdeen)
Famous women (Isabella Ross, Aberdeen : [s.n.], manuscript copy, 1890) [about her time and that of her classmates at the College]
Aberdeen normal school song-book, selected from the "Union school-song garland" (James Wilson, Glasgow : Hamilton, 18--?)
A farewell meeting. The classes of 94, 95, 96 and their English lecturer (James M Wattie, Aberdeen : [s.n.]: privately printed at the Adelphi Press, 1897) |