Page 27 - Studio International - December 1968

Correspondence should Surrey education committee succeed in the London. Edinburgh in Festival time can hardly be
victimisation of teachers who have.been pressing for defined as anything less than International.
long overdue reforms, then the way is open for other I am indebted to The Canada Council for sponsoring
authorities, by dismissals and threats, to prevent the the exhibition and for believing in Edinburgh and for
expression of legitimate staff and student grievances giving me the opportunity to discover the Canadian
and to rob teachers of their professional rights. contemporary art scene for myself. I should like to
We believe that the mass sackings at Guildford quote from the statement I made in the catalogue of
testify to the backwardness of the art education sys- The Demarco Galleries Festival Exhibition which
tem, to its inability to tolerate fundamentally opposing sums up my reasons for wishing to see Canadian
views and to the basic insecurity of teaching staffs in art compared at this time with that of Britain:
art schools under local authority control. We believe 'Because more has happened in the cultural life of
that the fight for our reinstatement is part of the Canada over the last five years than in any period
Dismissals at Guildford School of Art fight for according art teachers the same professional previously, there is a surprisingly large number of
Dear Sir, security and the same control over basic educational important artists who are virtually unknown in
You will no doubt have heard, from the national policies as are enjoyed by our colleagues in other Europe. This period of awakening makes it essential
press, that at the latter end of the summer vacation, branches of higher education. that we in Britain get a true picture without further
some thirty-five members of the part-time teaching In asking for your support, we emphasise that we delay and for that reason I found myself anxious to
staff of the Guildford School of Art were summarily are not asking you to accept our standpoint on the see the day when a major exhibition of Canadian
dismissed following the 'sit-in' by students last June issues of the character and purpose of art and design Art could be organized as part of something as
and July. Seven members of the full-time staff have education or to accept our criticisms of the vocational important as the Edinburgh Festival, which had
been dismissed and five others have appeared before training supplied by the Guildford School of Art. We provided the perfect stage for the 'First Edinburgh
the governors' disciplinary committee, and three have are asking you to defend the freedom of teachers to 100'.
been asked to accept conditions which relieved them act upon the basis of sincerely held convictions about 'Obviously the population of Canada could not
of their responsibilities and placed them amongst the proper education of their students. produce as yet one hundred painters of the standard
newly-hired staff. We believe that it is in the interest of the teaching to be expected from Britain, but I suspected that
These dismissals and suspensions have wiped out profession and the general public, to defend the there could be at least one-quarter of that number,
two entire departments—The Department of Foun- following principles:— and at the end of the coast to coast tour which the
dation Studies, and the Department of Art History and (a) the right of teachers to participate fully, in
Complementary Studies (and Visual Research). At framing the general educational policies of their
least twenty-five new members of staff have been establishment, and to conduct their teaching accord-
appointed to replace those who were dismissed. The ing to that basis.
school has been reconstituted as a 'College of Design' (b) the right of teachers to express their views,
by the governors, Principal, and team of 'hand-picked' however critical of their institution, and acting on the
senior staff. There has been little or no consultation grounds of conscience, to take whatever measures
with the great majority of teachers at the school. With are reasonably warranted by the circumstances, in
the transfer of fine-art courses to Farnham School of defending the educational interests of their students,
Art (with which Guildford is eventually intended to against misguided or incompetent school or college
amalgamate) and the phasing out of the Department authorities.
of Fashion Design, the school now consists of only These are necessary principles to ensure efficient
two design areas: 3-D Design and what is now teaching and to safeguard educational standards
called 'Visual Communications' (graphics, photo- within a community.
graphy, film and printing). Peter Hall, Kay Hunt
We have openly condemned these mass dismissals For the dismissed staff of
as savage acts of victimisation, and also condemn the Guildford Art School
present educational policy of the school, and es-
pecially its reconstitution as a 'College of Design' as
a grossly unsatisfactory basis upon which to provide Contemporary Canadian art
a sound education in Art and Design. In our demand Dear Sir,
for full re-instatement and for an immediate inquiry I have read with special interest the first two articles
into the affairs of the school, we have the support of by David Thompson on the contemporary Canadian
our union—the Association of Teachers in Technical art scene which have been inspired by the recent 75 years ago
Institutions. We believe thatthese acts of victimisation exhibition at the Edinburgh Festival entitled 'Canada To love is the secret of the creative faculty of the artist
by the Surrey Authorities strike at the principles which 101' and subtitled 'the Second Edinburgh Hundred'. and also his raison d'être. It is by constant loving that he
are of fundamental importance to the whole teaching I am impressed by Mr Thompson's perceptive will make human beings feel the existence of their soul,
profession. We believe that our reasons for supporting appraisal of the latest developments in the contem- by the rendering of matter and the beauty of the exist-
the students during their 'sit-in' raise issues now porary visual arts in Canada, but I feel it necessary to ing creation.
deeply concerning all staffs in art schools and colleges make reference to the fact that the exhibition must be The English, much less philosophical than they seem
throughout the land. seen in relation to the 'First Edinburgh Hundred' to be, only think that the loveliest body makes the
We are earnestly appealing for your support. Whilst which took place during the 1967 Festival and purest soul, and that by showing everlastingly sweet
we appreciate that you and your colleagues may not which, as an open competition, showed the work of ladies and noble gentlemen, they are producing works
be in sympathy with our point of view on the main one hundred contemporary British painters. of poets and moralists. There lies the great danger of the
question of Art and Design education, or may accept Within the framework of the 'Edinburgh Hundred' British school. Each exhibition gives us further proof of
only part of our criticism of the present system, we are it was my personal intention to enable festivalgoers this, and the English public is there to uphold it.
sure that you will share our conviction that the right to compare what was happening in Canada with the From The Royal Academy (First letter), by A. Besnard.
of teaching staff is to express their views and act in latest developments in Britain. I am indeed pleased
defence of the educational interests of their students. that Mr Thompson is in agreement with me that
At a time of widespread dissatisfaction among both something of importance is happening in Vancouver. 50 years ago
staff and students with the present state of Art and I quite deliberately chose to have the Vancouver It was generally expected that the Chancellor of the
Design education, and in a period which is likely to scene well represented so that it could be considered Exchequer's scheme for taxing luxuries would levy a
see substantial change in very many art schools and as important as the two long-established centres of heavy toll on artistic productions, but on the whole the
colleges, we believe that it is essential to resist Montreal and Toronto. recommendations of the Committee appointed to draw
attempts by education authorities to stifle criticism I feel that I must also point out that it is my firm up schedules of articles to be subject to the tax do not
or to intimidate teachers into accepting policies which belief that not all major exhibitions should have to appear to give art workers as a body much cause for
they themselves believe to be inadequate to ensure appear in London. I look forward to the day when the complaint, as nearly all works of art are to be exempt
acceptable standards of flexibility. art world in Britain is not dominated by the London from taxation when first sold by the artists themselves.
We are asking your support on the grounds : (a) that scene and that it would be quite natural to expect to The Committee's proposals have to be sanctioned by
these dismissals and suspensions at Guildford School see exhibitions such as 'Canada 101', taking place in Parliament before they become operative and no doubt
of Art are entirely without justification, and (b) that other centres, even four hundred miles distant from they will be very keenly discussed.