Here follows the 2014 report of the Madras College Archive Support Group.
Contents of the Report:1. Chairman's report
2. Sub-group reports:
2.1 Burgh School sub-group
2.2 Cataloguing sub-group
2.3 Oral archive sub-group
2.4 Prizes sub-group
2.5 Scrapbook sub-group
2.6 Website sub-group
1. Chairman's Report
In preparation for this short Report I perused the minutes of the meetings
which had been held following the April 2013 AGM. It was satisfying to note
that the many & varied topics and items discussed at these quarterly
meetings met very neatly and succinctly the aims and objectives of the
Archive Support Group, as detailed in the Constitution.
The Reports from the sub-groups highlight the substantial developments and
steady progress which have been achieved throughout the year. It is good to
report that, despite a very busy schedule, the new Rector of Madras College,
Mr David McClure, accepted the invitation to attend the September Meeting.
The Group were delighted to welcome on board the pupil representatives at
that meeting.
Associated activities have added, considerably, to the work undertaken by
members of the Group:- the reporting back from members' attendance at an
Archive Conference; two publications have been printed; a visit was arranged
to the University's Special Collections Unit; the Group's knowledge of the
History of the School was enhanced by an excellent talk on the Madras Trust;
the setting-up of an awareness-raising Archive Information Stand at the Town
Hall as part of a fund-raising Coffee Morning. Each of these
'extra-curricular' activities has ensured that the Group Members remain
better informed each has been of enormous benefit to the purpose of the
Group.
Every member of the Archive Support Group is to be thanked for the very high
levels of energy, effort & expertise which they bring to their individual
area of interest.
In particular, however, thanks must go to Lindsay Matheson, the originator
of the Archive Support Group, whose assiduous and scrupulous management of
the Group ensures that its future is assured.
Archie Rennie, past Chairman of the Madras Trust Fund, is quoted as having
said ".......Former pupils, the community, pupils and staff will, hopefully,
assist in helping Madras to continue and enhance its splendid record of
endeavour and achievement".
The Madras College Archive Support Group is most certainly establishing a
splendid Record and Archive which will inform future generations and,
currently, it is providing an excellent source of detailed information on
past and present 'endeavours and achievements'.
Anne J.M. Morris
2. Sub-group reports
2.1 Burgh School sub-group
In 2013-14 the work of the Group consisted mainly of a final revision of the
material already gathered and the arrangement of these items to form a
booklet entitled Memories of the Burgh School. The order adopted was
basically chronological because several of the contributors had an
association with the Burgh School that extended over many years, there was
often a degree of overlap between some of the texts. Some contributors had
submitted photographs of their own, but a considerable amount of effort went
into identifying other appropriate photographs already in the Archive and
including these in the booklet to provide a greater and variety of
illustrations.
Thanks to the generosity of the Madras College FP Girls' Club, it was
possible to have the booklet professionally printed and copies were made
available for purchase from the School Office at a cost of £2. Any feedback
that has been received has been very positive.
The publication of the booklet brings the work of the Group to a conclusion
- for the moment. However, it is highly likely that other material about the
Burgh School will find its way into the Archive and it may be that in the
years to come a second edition of the booklet may be required.
David Galloway
2.2 Cataloguing sub-group
We are most grateful to Arlen Pardoe for the donation of a laptop computer
to the Archive Group to use in school for cataloguing.
We are still exploring software to use for cataloguing the Archive that will
allow large data fields and will be compatible with CALM, the St Andrews
Special Collections database, so that records may be transferred directly.
There will be a number of incomplete records held on the current MS Access
database that will need to have information added before records are
transferred.
Information circulated via the email system in school is being sent on a
daily basis to Arlen Pardoe for preserving; and staff and pupils are asked
for contributions of photographs and other digital records when the
Librarian becomes aware of them. Teachers and Office staff do not have a
system in place yet to save or forward digital or print copies of documents,
handbooks etc. but they are increasingly aware of the request, and more
items are handed over than before.
Liz Higgins ran a training afternoon for Fife School Librarians in May 2014,
the first introduction to setting up and using archives many of them had
been given. She shared the Madras Arrangement-our classification
scheme-which will give librarians an idea of how to start organising their
archival records. The group looked at the physical storage and handling of
items. They looked at the information Madras Archives has on the First World
War, both the physical items, and access to them via the website, and how
our records had been used in the production of Ken Paterson's "Book of
Remembrance" and the "We will remember them" booklet. Both publications
would be of interest in their schools. The importance of collecting and
cataloguing current information was also highlighted.
This year we had no pupils who volunteered for the Cataloguing group.
Liz Higgins
2.3 Oral Archive sub-group
Over the last year the Oral Archive Group (Lydia Upton, Jim Bennett, Donald
Macgregor, Lindsay Matheson and Colin Mackay) has met to use the new
recorder. On the last occasion JAB, DM, LM and CM recorded the first entry
to the Oral Archive. This is now on CM's computer thanks to Arlen's Inset on
procedures. Further meetings will be planned with the group to explore other
aspects of their time at Madras. The group also composed a list of people to
interview in the coming year and CM has arranged to meet with some former
pupils over the summer months. Unfortunately we were unable to progress work
with the sixth year pupils. Hopefully this can be rectified next session.
Colin Mackay
2.4 Prizes sub-group
Articles have been written on:
o Professor Newnham Prize for best performer;
o Professor Newnham Scholarship for music;
o The Wallace Watt Cup;
o The Sir William Robertson Medal;
o The Tullis Medal.
These include biographies of Frederick Laurence Newnham, William Wallace
Watt, and Sir William Robertson. Also included are details of the book
selling business R. Tullis & Company.
A list of cups and medals presented in 1976 has been produced giving the
name of the award, what it was awarded for, a description of the award and
the date on which it was first presented.
Edmund Robertson
2.5 Scrapbook sub-group
Every day without fail The Courier is collected and, once a week The
Citizen. Then it is off to Madras and the "sticking in" process begins. All
the cuttings relate to Madras and each is dated and the paper noted. Since
Anne and I took over from the office staff, most of the news has been on the
"Pipeland Saga". However, interspersed are the "Madras Diary", articles
about sporting achievements, debating, fundraising and other notable events.
The school feels this is an important task for recording "history in the
making" and which will add to the archive of the school.
Frances Humphries, Anne Morris
2.6 Website sub-group
Over the last year there have been relatively few new photographic and
journal additions to the site. There have been some photographs of note
added, including some of William Ochter Lonie and one of a painting of
William Burn as a youth.
Some work has been done on the legal foundations of the school and new
documents include the 1831 Indenture, the 1831 Sasines, the 1928 Register of
Deeds and the 1968 Trust Scheme.
The collection of caps and ties in the archive have been photographed and
added to the site and the awards section had had some additions describing
the background of some awards.
A major overhaul of the heading titles of web pages has been undertaken,
removing some anachronisms and errors.
Extracts of work done on the web site have been enhanced to produce two
booklets published under the Madras Archive name and sponsored by the FP
Girls' Club. A third booklet is currently under development on the Rectors
of Madras College based on material in the magazines and newsletters. This
may be enhanced with material from other sources such s newspapers.
Work planned for the coming year includes Glen Tilt logbooks, U18 football
year summaries, processing blank entries on some web pages (a remnant from
when the website was first set up) and routine additions such as the yearly
awards and any remaining photographs.
Arlen Pardoe
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