Miss Evelyn-Smith arrived at Godolphin School in
1925. Of all the teachers at Godolphin, the archive paints the clearest picture
of Miss E-S. Among some documents I found this CV which at first didn’t seem to
be identifiable. Miss E-S’s name doesn’t appear anywhere.
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| How many people do you know that have bee-keeping on their CV?! |
However, on finding the document below, it became apparent that
the two belong to each other. Domestic science training and training at Swanley
Horticulture College appear on both papers with the same dates. So, although
the CV has no name, the presence of this second document allows us to assume it
belongs to Margery Evelyn-Smith!
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| Miss Evelyn-Smith's examination certificate |
This 3rd
document further cements our assumption that the CV is Miss E-S’ and what is more,
if we’d wondered what subject Miss E-S
taught, the Teachers’ Registration Council certificate of membership
states her teacher training was in domestic science. I think we can safely assume
that Miss E-S was a domestic science teacher. However, as you’ll know from
reading my previous blog, she was very involved in Godolphin School’s drama
productions as well as other aspects of school life. In some of the memoirs I
have been perusing lately, the bond between teachers and students is clearly
very strong. These mistresses devoted their entire lives to the development of
the girls.
Many girls were sent here because Godolphin had a reputation
for providing a broad education where young women were encouraged to think for
themselves and shine. Mary Cartwright, one of the first female mathematicians,
began her study of mathematics at Godolphin, in a time when elsewhere girls
were not ordinarily taught such subjects.
A Godolphin history mistress was quoted in The Graphic (15th
July 1922): ‘now that women have votes we have no time to waste over military
campaigns. Future citizenesses must be prepared for the intelligent discharge
of their civic duties.’ This was all part of a broad education that set the
girls up to face the world. I believe it was teachers like Miss E-S who devoted
so much of their time not only to teaching but to extra-curricular activities
that made Godolphin such a fertile ground for learning. The harmony between
work and play enabled the students to flourish.
I have just begun to catalogue the photo albums in the
collection and this harmony can be felt very strongly here. In my next post I
will be sure to include some of these images. Many a tea party, a sports match
and a teacher have been captured in the girls’ school snaps. Including a tiny
one of Miss E-S herself...
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| A lacrosse match of the 1920s – a sport at which the current students still excel |
