NRS-16932 | Administrative papers [Armidale Teachers' College]

Full description

This series deals with the administration and general maintenance of the Armidale Teachers’ College (ATC). The material comprises documents of several types in various paper formats including administrative records, correspondence, ledgers, diaries, booklets and some photographs.

Function and Content
The subjects covered are diverse, ranging from routine administrative matters to policy issues. These files cover the following:
(1) General Administrative Records including financial and property management, personnel, college history, routine administration (in particular correspondence from the Principal to the NSW Department of Education),
(2) Student Administrative Records including student information, assessment, scholarships, student services, accommodation services, and
(3) Teaching and Research Records including course delivery, examination papers and administrative arrangements concerning practice teaching and demonstration lessons.

Administrative Context and Custodial History
These files were originally created by the Armidale Teachers’ College which became the Armidale College of Advanced Education in 1974.

The files were stored in the Director’s Office of the New England Historical Resources Centre and the Old Library stacks in the Armidale Teachers' College after the dissolution of the College in 1974. They were transferred to the Regional Archives in October 2000.

The library stacks were on three levels with library shelving in the upper two levels. Much of the library shelving was labelled – the labelling referring to the records found on the shelves. When transferred, items were boxed and the boxes labelled with the shelf label where this was the case. On opening the boxes, however, it was discovered that the contents of the boxes did not necessarily conform to the labelling. Teaching materials, for example, included correspondence and routine administration.

System of arrangement and control
The original order could only be identified through the numbering or other notation on each folder which was not consistent. There seemed to be five different systems of filing, which was dependent on the secretary in charge, or the Principal. (1) Items from parts of these systems were merged prior to October 2000. In brief, the systems were the following:

1. Numeric system where the first two digits represented the year (eg 60/30 is file 30 from the year 1960). There is no corresponding index register. Files in the folders were stamped with the ATC stamp, and the file number written inside the ATC stamp circle. Many numeric files seem to have been combined at some point with documents on the same subject for a period of years (ie 60/6, Research work, is not documents about research dated 1960 but a file of documents on Research work from 1950-1960)

2. ‘A’ folders – files designated with the letter ‘A’ followed by a number, may signify ‘Archive’. Each folder was given a subject description. Dates include from 1942 to 1977, most covering 1954 to 1974. This period also duplicates the period covered by the numeric files.

3. ATC Papers – arranged in cloth covered board with a tab label. ATC paper number has been written on the top right hand corner of each file. These are ordered by date in reverse order, and cover the period 1927 to c.1947.

4. ‘H’ and ‘SH’ files – files designated with the letter ‘H’ or ‘SH’ followed by a number signify files belonging to the hostels and in particular Smith House, the accommodation for students at ATC. These are numbered in chronological order, covering the approximate dates of 1927 to 1947.

5. Subject system – no numbering or alphabetical system on files. A brief description of the files contents on the cover page. This system occurs throughout the period of the series (1927-1974).

The original ordering was restored where possible (through file numbers). Due to the inconsistency of numbering and the incomplete nature of the records, a new order was imposed by the archivist in 2003 which attempted to bring together papers similar in function and information content and was organised chronologically. Record Disposal Authority of University Archives (GA9) was used as a basis to create the control system. The files were re-numbered accordingly although previous numbering systems have been annotated if in existence. 

Endnotes
1.  Principals of the Armidale Teachers’ College were as follows:
C.B. Newling (Principal 1928-1947)
G. W. Bassett (Principal 1948-1960)
G. W. Muir (Principal 1961-1967)
A. R. Crane (Principal 1968-1974)