Memories From Staff
Violet Pickard 1948–78
Dance and Drama
I was appointed by Dr McKie in 1948 when St Gabriel’s was just recovering from its post-war move from Doncaster to Camberwell. The focus for me was gymnastics, games and some dance within the two-year course. The Senior Lecturer was Eileen Flannery, who concentrated on reviving the department and was keen to work up the Main Course in Physical Education. There were few facilities for the students and we worked in the Great Hall with portable apparatus. Games were played in Myatt’s Fields and hockey and some gym at Mary Datchelor School in Camberwell.
Drama took place from time to time within the English Department and afforded glimpses of the very imaginative mind and extraordinary zeal of Leila Davies. I remember her working with children on Benjamin Britten’s Noye’s Fludde in a flurry of excitement. She had previously collaborated with Margaret Dunn and Marjorie Eiles. Margaret Dunn, like me, had been initiated into the Laban method of Modern Educational Dance and Movement. The PE colleges in particular were training students to teach this method, and so were introducing it into primary and secondary schools.
In the Education Department in those early days Eva Engholm, like Leila, drew everyone around
her into enthusiastic productions. I remember three ambitious productions: The Little Mermaid,
Orpheus and Eurydice and Hansel and Gretel. The last two were truly forerunners
of the interest in the performing arts. Gladys Everden, the Senior Music Lecturer, worked hard
to train the students in their singing roles. In spite of the small stage and poor lighting
in the Great Hall, and not much in the way of a wardrobe, it was a stimulating and creative
experience. I am sure any student who took part will remember it well.
As the College recovered and more money became available, we were anxious to have more equipment and working space. A gymnasium was built in Tower House grounds, and playing fields and tennis courts were laid out in the Lordship Lane area of Dulwich. We were asked by the PE inspectors to introduce a special one-year course for retraining teachers. More staff were appointed to the department, and Margaret Bate and Marilyn Sutcliffe added much to our strength in developing the swimming and games.
Janet Eridge was appointed to develop Drama in its own right. This was indeed a turning-point in the focus of our work, for Janet also had some training in the Laban method of movement. The PE inspectors, Miss R. Foster and Mrs Jean Allington kept a close eye on the work in gymnastics and games, both with the Main Course and the special one-year course, but their sights were on introducing a Dance and Drama orientated base.
By now there was a Laban Art and Movement Centre in Addlestone, Surrey; teachers and lecturers were urged to do more training there, and many courses were organised. Our work with children and the students brought out a more creative and positive way of moving and what was often the barrier to many children became more of an exploration and development of their own potential. We had on the staff a PE lecturer called Walli Meier who had also been to the Laban Centre. Her vitality and expertise was of great value at this time of change.
We were now invited to change our focus of work from PE to Dance and Drama as an integrated Main Course.
In the Drama department Janet Eridge was leaving and Carole Northage was appointed in her
place. This was a critical time as we had the possibility of restructuring the Great Hall into
a proper drama studio with an overhead lighting grid, up-to-date equipment, portable staging
and a cyclorama of curtains. With some guidance, Carole drew up plans for this conversion.
Eventually it all took shape and became an exciting and functional place for our work. Having
all this equipment was immensely stimulating and the Main Course work now in Dance and Drama
flourished.
Production work increased and the students benefited by having the experience of
operating the special equipment.
We were fortunate in being able to share a lecturer who had been appointed to the Art Department but who was keen to work part-time in Drama. Tony Lintott added an artistic touch to the drama with exciting sets and new ideas.
There was still one problem to overcome with the Examinations Board at the Institute. We were the only College to do an integrated course combining two subjects. This meant that the examinations had to be assessed by lecturers in two boards of studies. The students had to do a practical piece of work in either Dance or Drama, a main production involving the whole group and a written examination with questions over the whole range of both subjects. It was an exciting development, and rewarding for both staff and students.
As the work progressed, we fine-tuned the working of the Department. By now we had almost a full complement of staff: Rita Handford was my great support in Dance, and Carole Northage with the help of Tony Lintott extended the work in Drama. Two new staff were appointed to help with the increasing work load: Kathy Doere came to support the Drama and Vivienne Gear the Dance. We now had three pairs of staff, each working with a group of students, taking them through the three years to their final examination. It worked well and we all gained by the creative setting of the Drama Studio and the spacious Gymnasium.
Our last hurdle was to get the Main Course to lead into the new B.Ed degree examination. We came up against the same problem of getting the two boards of studies, the English Board and the PE Board, to accept the integrated course. This proved a very frustrating exercise and each board looked at the content of the syllabus as though it was two degrees. However, after about two years it was finally accepted.
Sadly, only three students were able to take advantage of this move, as the College was finally amalgamated with Goldsmiths College in 1978.
Looking back over thirty years, it seemed a long but worthwhile struggle, and those students who were part of it would I am sure think so too. Strange that the ‘Performing Arts’ seem now to be a way of life.
