Lack of men, flame throwers and rabbit drives: student life in Australia's first rural teachers college 1945-1955

Abstract

This article examines student life in an Australian rural teachers college. The paper is informed by studies on university student life and extends these to Australia’s first rural teachers college in the period 1945-1955. It explores the diversity of students’ experiences in a small college with predominately female students gradually supplemented by male students. It looks at staff student relations in a college struggling to train teachers for rural Australian towns in the immediate post World War II period. While these rural students’ lives were similar to those portrayed in the standard histories of teacher education students were well aware of the basic nature of the curriculum and were not uncritical of it. However, they viewed what was offered as feasible given the circumstances. Their life at college was broadening and fulfilling and led to rewarding careers that enabled them to make not insignificant contributions to the teaching profession.