Edited by Corpuscle Dr Stephen Hickey, (Modern History, 1967), The Great Little College gives a students’-eye view of Corpus since 1945, using their own words.
The main source has been contributions received from over 150 former students and others. The book also draws from published accounts in College journals and other sources. The aim is to let their voices speak for themselves, reflecting the diversity of those passing through the College.
Did Corpus change fundamentally in this period? It more than doubled in size, from 140 students in 1950, to 343 in 2015. Its appearance altered. The gravel quad was paved, soot removed from the sandstone walls and the gardens luxuriated with unusual plantings. Jeans replaced flannels and gowns became limited to special occasions. Vacations ceased to be quiet interludes as conferences grew and tourists flocked in ever-growing numbers. Heating and plumbing were transformed. Computers and mobile phones - non-existent for much of the period - became ubiquitous. The number and proportion of postgraduate and international students increased. ‘Climbing in’ and ‘sconcing' disappeared. Most striking - after some 460 years as an all-male community - was the arrival of women. Less visible was the gradual tightening of the financial climate: previously generous student grants had, by 2016, been largely replaced by loans.
Did these developments change, even damage the basic experience of students? Do students from one generation recognise the lives led by another? Read The Great Little College to find out.
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