Page 29 - Studio International - July August 1968

on June, 5 Sir John Summerson reported that 36 attention to its function, and the properties of the already. This college is a new thing: the old regime
people without 5 '0' levels had been accepted for materials it uses (people), as a designer usually gives can never recur in the lifetime of those now present.
entry into art colleges during that year. This in his work. There was success of a concrete kind. The Press
ludicrously small number makes the point. The D. J. Warren Piper finally took the movement seriously (though dear
Hornsey rebels, in their much-quoted Document 11, Lecturer in Psychology and Management, old Auntie BBC took a long time to catch up). And a
give five case-histories of people denied entry to an Hornsey College of Art, week after it began, Michael Kustow offered an
art college by the strict application of the 5 '0' level Hornsey, London exhibition at the ICA in five weeks time for the
rule. One of these had majored in art after three years College to present its ideas and make them stick.
at an American university. All are faced with the Reading List What was the working method of the change?
proposition of quickly taking some '0' levels, as if de Bono—Lateral Thinking, Cape 1967 Every day there was a General Meeting and specific
such a ceremony would improve their performance Getzels Et Jackson—Creativity and Intelligence seminars. The seminars fed into the General Meeting
once they arrived at college. Wiley 1962 where their conclusions were argued out. In this way
The assumption that a stay at college must be Gordon—Synectics, Harper 8- Row 1961 the process of re-education was continuous and all-
ended by some form of examination shows a Koestler— The Act of Creation, Hutchinson 1964 embracing. No-one was allowed to be unaware of
stereotypy of thought of which any designer Mooney Er Razik—Explorations in Creativity Harper the specialized discussions, and no-one was
should be ashamed. Why rely on a small sample of a and Row 1967 allowed to wander off into some line of thinking
student's performance observed under very unusual Schachtel—Metamorphosis: On the development of which lost touch with the general feeling. The
circumstances, as a means of measuring his attain- affect perception, attention and memory, Basic process was slow and repetitive: everything had to
ment? Why do you want to do it anyway? To predict Books 1959 be argued out again and again until everyone under-
his future performance? It seems unlikely to make a Taylor 8- Williams—Instructional media and creativity, stood. But the level of every individual's thinking and
good predictor. To record what he has done at Wiley 1966 awareness has gone up and up. Anyone could tell
college? But it could have been recorded much more Barron—New directions in psychology II, Holt, you in detail what it was all about.
accurately while he was doing it. To offer a goal, so Rheinhart Et Winston 1965 This was not just a student movement. Teachers
that student motivation can be artificially stimulated ? Hudson—Contrary Imaginations, Methuen and Peli- were welcome right from the start; indeed they
But the canny student, like the well-trained athlete, can 1966 joined in and became part of what was going on.
will expend the minimum effort required marginally Furneaux— The chosen few, O.U.P. 1961 There was a formal expression of this: the Union was
to clear obstacles. That is no way to maximize on an Macfarlane Smith—Spatial Ability, U.L.P. 1964 dissolved and replaced by a body called the Associa-
individual's potential. Sanford—The American College, Wiley 1962 tion of Members of Hornsey College of Art—students
Hornsey provides an alternative. The industrial Glaser—Training Research and Education, Univ. and staff alike.
design course there has no examinations. Students Pittsburgh Press 1962 The debate was purposive: it wasn't just a talking-
are set the task of attaining a number of objectives. A shop. Creative work was resumed early on. Obviously
date is fixed and the criteria for recognizing success Dear Sir, posters had to be designed (though the main print-
are agreed between staff and students. Together The protest at Hornsey doubled its size every day. ing facilities in the annexes were denied), and a
they then plan a course of action. Recovery time is Firstly it was about a few rights which had been careful signposting system was set up in the
allowed for people who for one reason or another do denied the Student Union; then it was about the corridors, which before that had been a blank maze.
not meet the criteria. Any assessment that has to be whole structure of the College, including the Board
made about whether industrial students have or have of Governors; then it was about the whole structure
not met the specified criteria is undertaken jointly by of art education. And finally, by implication, it
staff and students. There are no secret assessments; challenged the rigidity of society itself. As we write
the main objective is to give a student insight into his it is still going on.
own performance so that he can become more It happened very quickly. Policy documents about
effective. Value judgments of doubtful validity are the educational system were being debated while
avoided as far as possible. (Some details of this the Press was still talking about the state of the
appear in Design Education Two published by lavatories and the overcrowding.
Hornsey College of Art) Examinations are not an in- The feeling was not vindictive. At each stage the
evitable characteristic of higher education, and the administrators of power were identified and then
maintenance of the highest quality of work does not confronted. The Principal was asked to leave his
depend upon their existence. office to show that the Student Action Committee
The universities do have the UGC to act as a buffer did not recognize him or the administration. Recogni-
between them and the State. This gives them some tion was denied the Board of Governors, and no
guarantee of that most cherished of sacred cows: communications were sent to them. The first chapter
academic freedom. It also gives them the freedom, was written of a critique of the system of art
in principle at least, to change their structure should education, laying down principles for a new system.
the need arise. Because art colleges are in the public This was sent to the Ministry and to the Summerson
sector of education they are controlled by govern- Committee.
ment offices right down to the college governing How much success so far? You had only to walk
board. The principal of an art college is likely to into the main building to see. This dingy institutional
concern himself with his local council more than he building, wearing an architect's paint-scheme with
does with his staff and students. A characteristic of vague discomfort, always used to be daunting and
government machinery is that it has evolved so as to alienating, somehow an expression of the complete 75 years ago
maintain the status quo. The Hornsey rebellion stands lack of contact between person and person. Nobody
for a change in the structure. They had no choice but talked to anybody, except in a hole-and-corner way. The most delightful feature of the art of Japan lies in
to take direct action because negotiation through the There was corridor diplomacy; footling minor the fact that it is applied to the everyday wants of the
'usual channels' would not have succeeded in intrigues about this and that; and the major issues individual— that it is not a thing apart from the lives of
changing the structure of the administrative machine. were always someone else's business. After the its people. Evidence of artistic thought may be found
Whether or not you agree with them, a large number revolution it came alive. It had a heart—the main hall— in all the surroundings of the Japanese more or less pro-
of teachers and students are convinced that the where the General Meeting debated every day and nounced in accordance with their tastes or occupations.
present system of running art and design education pumped waves of purpose round the corridors to Many visitors to Japan have been struck with the
falls far short of what is required. The problem can- every point of the building. You were carried along beauty of its gardens. Whether they be large, extending
not be solved by legislators imposing their authority. by people from the moment you entered. To sustain to many acres, or small, of the dimensions only of a few
Education is not a thing that can be imposed, it the energy, the canteen stayed open twenty-four square yards, there is a notable refinement in their
arrangement, which the more it is inquired into the
requires a mutual commitment of everybody involved. hours a day, and there too there was a determination
more remarkable and interesting it becomes. . . .
What is the use of an administrator in higher education to be good enough. The food was never like that
The would-be garden designer is told, first of all, that
who claims an authority which is not willingly before. But after all, how could it have been ? The old
he must study nature; . . . For it is in the reproduction
acceded to by students and staff? It should be our canteen was a cog in a Victorian machine; the new
of these natural beauties that he will have to concern
concern to build up a system in which everybody one an organic part of a living organism. A revolution
involved has confidence. This can best be done if can only really become permanent in terms of himself. . . .
the educational system is designed with as much thought and feeling: in that sense it has happened from 'Artistic Gardens in Japan' by Charles Holme