| Description | Track 1 [00:56:16] [Session One: 24 May 2017] Michael Simpson [MS], born in Nottingham in January 1939. MS talks about his parents and their occupations. MS talks about his schooling at Nottingham High Pavement Grammar School [NGS]. MS talks about his history degree at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge. MS outlines his academic career in history, including posts at Ohio State University, University of Glasgow and Swansea University. [00:05:24] MS talks about the grammar school system and its advantages and disadvantages. MS compares his schooling at NGS to public schools. [00:12:07] MS talks about his degree at Cambridge and how he became interested in American History. MS describes his reasons for accepting a post at Ohio State University. MS talks about his wife’s job as a librarian. [000:15:26] MS describes his experiences teaching in adult education as a 22-year-old. [00:17:31] MS talks about the difficulties of getting a post in American History in the UK and describes his motivations for applying to Swansea. MS describes the age-based university recruitment system. [00:22:15] MS describes the composition of the History Department at Swansea and mentions important members, including Heads of Department Prof Alun Davies and Prof Glanmor Williams. MS talks about the areas of specialisation and subsequent expansion of the department. [00:28:07] MS talks about the gender split in the history department and in the university. [00:30:45] MS describes the collegial atmosphere of the department and talks about meeting people from other departments in the Senior Common Room. [00:32:45] MS talks about the organisational hierarchy and describes a change to a flatter hierarchy in the 1980s. MS lists incomings and outgoings of the department from the 60s to the 80s. [00:38:32] MS talks about socialising opportunities with other members of staff, including the AUT [Association of University Teachers], the staff drama society and music ensembles. MS describes his time on the staff football and staff cricket team. [00:43:07] MS talks about the interaction between the university and the town, e.g. concerts or the Gower festival. MS describes staff members serving on local committees. [00:46:47] MS describes interactions between students and staff, e.g. at orchestral concerts. MS talks about student societies. MS talks about the importance of the History society to staff and students and describes the society dinner dance. [00:49:00] MS describes the change in student culture from the 1990s onwards as a result of increased student numbers, including a changed attitude towards studies and more interest in leisure. [00:52:11] MS describes student movements in the 1960s, including civil rights protests in the United States. MS talks about a change in dress of students towards a more informal style. MS talks about Swansea’s role in political movements in the late 1960s. [00:56:16]
Track 2 [00:25:49] [Session One: 24 May 2017] MS describes a student protest at Swansea University about stifling rules in residential halls. MS talks about the student culture in the 1970s [00:03:23] MS discusses whether student standards have lowered. MS compares the exam-based system of the history degree in the 1960s to the coursework-oriented system today. [00:08:43] MS talks about the foundation and development of American Studies as a degree. MS outlines the administrative structure, a joint board of History, Politics, Geography, and English. MS compares American Studies at Swansea to other universities, e.g. Aberystwyth, Keele and Nottingham. MS talks about efforts to increase student numbers on the degree scheme in the 1970s. MS describes the introduction of a student exchange year at an American university in the 1980s. [00:25:49]
Track 3 [00:02:27] [Session One: 24 May 2017] MS talks about rising student numbers as a result of the introduction of an exchange year and the appointment of Phil Melling to teach American Literature. MS describes fighting for the creation of an American Studies department [00:02:27].
Track 4 [00:23:30] [Session One: 24 May 2017] MS talks about the formation of the American Studies department and his involvement [00:02:25] MS describes rising student numbers in the late 1990s and changes in the university system, including the introduction of modules and coursework. MS talks about departmental changes and retirements. [00:08:25] MS describes the reasons for his retirement in 1998. [00:11:34] MS talks about the development of his research throughout his career, including 20th century urban planning, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Anglo-American naval history. [00:19:05] MS describes his present connection to Swansea University. MS talks about fortnightly lunch meetings with former colleagues, including Neville Masterman, Leonard Mars and Muriel Chamberlain. [00:23:30]
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