How was it studying at university in Armidale the ’60s? UNE alumnus and regional historian Jim Belshaw finds it difficult to describe what that world was like.
Jim’s connection with UNE goes back long before he studied at the university. He grew up as a member of “the siblings”: the children of staff members at the New England University College. Jim’s father, James Belshaw, was the foundation lecturer in history and economics, and was actually the very first staff member to arrive at the newly established College in 1938.
Because of his close connection with the university, Jim always knew he would study at UNE. Earning himself an Honours degree in history, with a major in economics, it seems he has always been deeply passionate about history.
“I was a member of Isabel McBryde’s pioneering archaeology and Australian prehistory group. Our 1966 Honours unit was the first of its type in Australia. As a member of Isabel’s group, I also travelled around Northern NSW on digs and survey missions, working as a research assistant in the holidays sorting and classifying stone artefacts. All that was fun."
“Student life was very active. I was a member of the Classical Society (it had the best sherry parties!), treasurer of the Economics Society, foundation president of the University of New England New State Society and its representative on the New England New State Movement Executive, member of the Student Christian Movement and Methodist Youth Fellowship."
We wrote rather bad poetry, experimented with new ideas, argued about philosophical concepts such as a just society or the meaning of scientific method.
“I was also business manager and then co-editor of Neucleus, the student newspaper.”
Jim says he cherishes that time, and finds he is a member of “a small and steadily diminishing group that still bridges the gap between UNE’s present and its deep past”.
A passion for history
Jim has had a long and interesting career since. While he first planned to become an archaeologist, rather than jumping into a PhD straight away he instead became an administrative trainee with the Commonwealth Public Service board.
“For the next 20 years I worked as an economist and policy adviser there, and then in the Departments of Industry and Commerce and Industry, Technology and Commerce. During that period I completed a Masters Qualifying and then Masters of Economics at ANU.”
While Jim did not end up pursuing a career in archaeology after university, he maintained his passion for history. “Perhaps my greatest achievements have come through my writing and my love of history. I love teaching. I love my region. Feeling that we were losing our history, that our painstakingly built institutions such as UNE were under threat or decaying, I set myself the task of trying to recover what had been lost. Think of it as something equivalent to an archaeological rescue dig. Working on my own, it’s been a bloody slow process - not helped by my tendency to want to do too much - but slowly, very slowly, I am making progress." Jim regularly updates his own personal blog where he shares his unique knowledge, passions and reflections online, and has also been putting together a course on local history for the U3A in Armidale.
“When I began, I had no idea of the breadth and depth of New England’s cultural history. I have identified over 20 feature films with New England connections, starting with the Guyra Ghost in 1921. That takes me into literature, the now very large corpus of New England writing, and into art - How does Lou (Northern Rivers) compare with the Bootmen (Newcastle). What are the unique features of the Armidale poets? What are the links between German immigration to New England and political events in Europe? I find all this fascinating stuff.”
Learning to think an enduring skill
It has been some time since Jim was an undergrad student, but he still has some fantastic wisdom to impart to those who are currently studying.
“The half-life of any vocational skill is perhaps four years at a maximum. By then definitions and requirements have changed. Think of all those people who trained in COBOL as a computer language. By contrast, courses that teach you to think have enduring value. So when you come to choose courses, focus on what you actually want to do, what you enjoy. Whether you are an internal or external, participate in student life. Share with and support your fellow students. Just try to enjoy.”
