| Description | Track 1 [00:46:40] [Session one: 26 January 2017] Dr Jean Silvan Evans [JE]. Born 1931, student at Swansea 1950 graduated 1953, with honours in History. Won the college scholarship at Ferndale Secondary School, Rhondda. Describes the scholarship examination, stayed in Beck Hall, examinations like A levels. Remembers Welsh History but not the rest of the subject matter. State scholarship, full grant, but coming from the Rhondda would have had a full grant anyway. Description of staying at Beck Hall, Uplands. Comments on Warden of Beck Hall. Describes students at Beck Hall and discusses friendships. JE mentions that many members of her extended family studied at Swansea University [00:08:42] Describes Beck Hall as female only accommodation, most Swansea students stay at home. JE describes wonderful first impression of Singleton Abbey and Singleton Park. Rarely went to town, describes certain visits. Comments on her degree in History. Comments on former lecturers’ reference to Professor Quinn, Professor Glanmor Williams, and Professor Walter Minchinton [00:16:03] Comments on degree structure and smaller classes. Discusses meeting her husband and both became journalists. [00:19:36] Comments on her free time, the Students’ Union and student finances. Comments on pubs, most women didn’t go in, and Beck Hall. Reflects on involvement in the Debating Society. Discusses the physical appearance of the University. Comments on ex-servicemen attending University. Discusses dress code for attending lectures. Comments on Principal John S. Fulton and dedication to improve University, including the introduction of Fresher’s lectures. Discusses other members of staff, the University Registrar, Edwin Drew. Remembers receiving a gown with the college badge. [00:33.50] Reflects on friendliness of the University. Graduation at Brangwyn Hall, only time JE’s parents came to Swansea. Remembers visiting Newcastle. Talks about receiving grades.. [00:38:25] JE left Swansea in 1953, went into journalism and worked as a reporter for a weekly newspaper Enfield Gazette London. Always wanted to be a journalist, offered a job at Merthyr Express at 16. Career moved around husband while in the army and then had 3 children. Reflects on jobs at South Wales Echo Cardiff as Women’s Editor and at a Surrey weekly paper. JE took a fashion journalism course at London College of Fashions, then worked in the magazine industry and taught magazine journalism. Comments on designing and launching a magazine course at Cardiff, reference to Sir Tom Hopkinson (Picture-Post). JE retired 1995. Expresses opinions on modern journalism. [00:44:49] Comments on daughter’s choice to attend Swansea University. [end of track] |