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UNE history launch concludes Golden Jubilee year

December 07, 2004

Sir Earle Page copy.jpgA comprehensive history of the University of New England will be launched on Friday, December 10, at Booloominbah.
More than 100 people are expected to attend the event, which will complete a year’s celebrations marking the university’s 50th anniversary as an autonomous institution.
Author Dr Matthew Jordan was appointed in October, 2001, to research and write the book, A Spirit of True Learning, the Jubilee History of the University of New England. It took three years of full-time research and writing to produce the tome.

"The university has seen some controversial episodes in its existence which I write about in the book,” Dr Matthew Jordan said. “For instance, hardly had the college opened than it nearly closed when, during World War II, the Army wanted to turn Booloominbah into a convalescent home for wounded soldiers.” Even by the late 1940s, the then-college was “going nowhere”, Dr Jordan said.
“But what saved UNE was the commitment to offer external studies, indeed, this was a condition of UNE gaining autonomy from the University of Sydney and this turned out to be a great strength at UNE.”
The 307-page book also covers the difficult period of UNE’s amalgamation with other regional institutions following the Dawkins Report and its disamalgamation.
Dr Jordan, a specialist in 20th Century Australian history and especially the nation’s immigration and foreign policies, said he hoped to take up a position as a teacher at the university and also to continue his research.
“Writing this book was a full-time job so I am looking forward to meeting new challenges,” Dr Jordan said.
Mr Don Page, grandson of UNE’s first Chancellor, Sir Earle Page and MP for Ballina, will be guest of honour at the book launch and will give a short speech. Current Chancellor, Mr John Cassidy, will open the event and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ingrid Moses will give a short speech.
There will also be an opportunity to view memorabilia from UNE’s history and watch rare footage taken at the installation of its first Chancellor, Sir Earle Page, (pictured) 50 years ago. The MovieTone newsreel was discovered earlier this year and screened at the launch of UNE’s Golden Jubilee in March. Also on display will be a series of archival photographs, showing the development of the university over the years.
For more information phone Lydia Roberts on 6773 2779.

Posted by Lydia Roberts at December 7, 2004 03:09 PM