Student Societies and Clubs: Current Structures and Historical Context
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Student Societies and Clubs: Current Structures and Historical Context With Special Emphasis on Arts/Cultural Societies, Trinity College Dublin Johanna Archbold and John O’Hagan Trinity Long Room Hub 2011 Published by the Trinity Long Room Hub Funded by the J-P Foundation Additional funding support by the Trinity College Dublin Association and Trust ISBN 978-0-9565516-2-7 Design: R. Conlon & J. Archbold Print Management: Custodian Consultancy Contents Acknowledgements Introduction 7 I Defining Extracurricular Activity II Impact on Students II Outline of Rest of Report Chapter 1 Overview of Current Extracurricular Activity 10 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Broad Sketch 1.3 Clubs and Societies 1.4 Recognition Chapter 2 Societies and Clubs – An Historical Sketch 22 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Early Years: Pre-1800 2.3 Nineteenth Century 2.4 Twentieth Century to 1960 2.5 Recent Decades Chapter 3 Arts and Cultural Societies - Profiles & Context 50 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Key Committee Roles 3.3 Performance Societies 3.4 Visual Arts and Literary Societies 3.5 Photographic, Film and Broadcast Societies Chapter 4 Arts and Cultural Societies – Wider Perspectives 66 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Society Collaboration 4.3 Interaction with Academic Departments 4.4 Student Societies and the City 4.5 National and International Dimensions 4.6 Concluding Comment Endnotes 77 Acknowledgements This is the second in a series of published reports on Student Societies and Clubs. While the present study is the main published work we wish to acknowledge our debt to previous work by Lisa Keenan and Aidan O’Hare.i Their work focussed mainly on the possible links between extracurricular student activity and career progression and used as case studies four of the major societies and clubs in Trinity. We wish also to thank the many people who met with us and provided material for this Report. They are too numerous to mention but some should perhaps be singled out, namely Lucy O’Connell and Joseph O’Gorman of the Central Societies Committee (CSC) Office, and members of the CSC Executive and the members of the Society committees who cooperated with the research. We would also like to thank DUCAC and particularly Prof. Cyril Smyth, Chairman of the DUCAC Executive. We would like to thank the Long Room Hub for providing the facilities that enabled the work to be undertaken. Generous funding was provided by Trinity Association and Trust towards the financing of the Report which we acknowledge with gratitude. We also wish to thank most sincerely Simon Williams and the Trinity Foundation for introducing us to the person to whom we owe the greatest debt of gratitude and thereafter facilitating the development of the projects. This debt of gratitude is to John Pearson, J-P Foundation, London. He provided funding for all of the work on both Reports but more importantly he generated an excitement about student societies and clubs, dating back to his Trinity days in the 1950s, that was infectious. John’s generosity has not stopped there; arising out of this work he has invested very substantial further funding in a bigger three-year project under the umbrella title of the ‘Anatomy of Creative Career Success’, to be overseen by staff in the Departments of Economics and Psychology. This is remarkable research funding provided by a wonderful alumnus of the College. His contribution was in no little way influenced by very fond memories of his own extracurricular activity in College, particularly through his involvement in the Dublin University Boat Club (which was one of the case studies looked at in the first Report). His interests have very much widened since to cultural activities, the main focus of the present Report. ii Johanna Archbold, Trinity Long Room Hub John O’Hagan, Professor of Economics i See Lisa Keenan & Aidan O’Hare, 2010. Universities, Societies & Clubs: Culture, Extracurricular Activities & Career Progression – Trinity College Dublin, Four Case Studies. Dublin: Trinity Long Room Hub. ii Many notable figures have been associated with sports in Trinity, one of the most distinguished being the playwright Samuel Beckett who excelled at cricket as a left-handed batsman and a left-arm medium-pace bowler who has the distinction of being the only Nobel laureate to have an entry in Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, the ‘Bible’ of cricket. 6 Student Societies and Clubs Introduction 7 Introduction John Dewey believed that “a university teaches in three ways – by what it teaches, by how it teaches and the kind of place it is”.1 This sentiment is one that resonates with the educational missions of many universities and third- level colleges who view their role as one of developing the “whole student”. The provision and support of a wide and diverse variety of extracurricular activities (ECAs) on university campuses is perhaps one of the most important avenues through which this holistic approach to the education mission is delivered. Participation in extracurricular activities while completing Service Learning an academic course is viewed as a key tool in the personal This type of extracurricular activity takes place within an development of students. For students, extracurricular academic structure in communities, usually organised by an involvement is also viewed as an important aspect of academic in his/her area of interest and is open to students, the college experience in terms of social, sporting and usually within that field. This type of extracurricular activity entertainment activities and increasingly to gain and can sometimes be required for course work. improve skills. Students of course are often extensively involved in extracurricular activity outside the university Participatory Action Activities but the focus of this report is on college-based activity. This type of activity is organised in partnership between academics and a community where problems are I Defining Extracurricular Activity identified, usually related to social change, where a mutual The term ‘extracurricular activities’ can be interpreted in strategy for progress is worked out and to which students a number of ways which encompass a wide variety of can contribute. Again this might sometimes be part of activities which are present in many third-level institutions. course work. The primary goals of extracurricular activities focus on the individual student level, the institutional level, and These activities are approached and categorised differently the broader community level. These activities exist to in various institutions but the broad understanding of the complement the university’s academic curriculum and to term “volunteering” is universal throughout the third-level augment the student’s educational experience. sector, and is the most relevant category for the purposes of this study. In some institutions it is covered under the Volunteering activities of the Students’ Union, others through the Careers This is perhaps the most misunderstood term in relation Advisory Service, or through various independent bodies to extracurricular activities, as it does not just relate to responsible for different aspects of extracurricular activity. altruistic activities, such as charity work, but any activities The focus of this Report is on the societies and which involve giving time unpaid by students outside sports clubs aspects of extracurricular activity. And within any course requirements. For example, participating on this, the emphasis in the last two chapters will be on the committee of a sports club or a society, or assisting student societies covering arts/cultural activities. a Students’ Union campaign, or writing for a university newspaper. Students often do not consider non-charitable or non-altruistic activity to be “volunteering”, though many third-level institutions and other organisations consider all extracurricular work on committees and work for non- payment as volunteering. 8 Student Societies and Clubs II Impact on Students Student Development The notion of “Student Development” has also given rise Student Involvement to considerable debate as to what it entails, and whether it In 1984, Alexander Astin proposed his theory of “Student includes both personal and academic development. Some Involvement” suggesting that students learn more if they agree that it does, defining Student Development as: are involved in both the academic and social aspects of the college experience.2 A growing body of literature has including those attitudes, skills, and values that enable one: to un- developed around Astin’s idea of Student Involvement derstand and reflect on one’s thoughts and feelings; to recognize which he defined as the quantity and quality of physical and appreciate the differences between oneself and others; to and psychological energy that the student devotes to manage one’s personal affairs successfully; to care for those less the academic experience. He described a highly involved fortunate; to relate meaningfully to others through friendships, student as one who devotes energy to their academic marriage, and civic and political entities; to determine personally studies, spends a considerable proportion of their time on and socially acceptable responses in various situations; and to be campus, participates actively in student organisations and economically self-sufficient. These qualities are usually associated activities, and regularly interacts with faculty members and with satisfaction, physical, and psychological well-being, and a other students. balanced, productive life of work and leisure.5