Department of Tutorial Classes

Adult education had long been a part of the University's teaching curriculum. It began with the introduction of Extension lectures in 1886 by Senate, later organised by the University Extension Board, established in 1892. Following amendments to the University and Colleges Act in 1912. Under 14 A sect. 5 (i) of the Act the University was designated to teach Tutorial classes: 14A. The Senate shall provide for the establishment Evening and maintenance of evening tutorial classes in science, economics, ancient and modern history and sociology, and may provide for evening tutorial classes in other subjects. . Such classes shall be open to students whether they have or have not matriculated within the University. The Senate may issue diplomas in respect of students who have in such y issue diplomas in respect of students who have in such classes studied for at least one year in any one subject.In 1914, that provision was formalised through the establishment of a Department of Tutorial Classes, the appointment of a Director, and a partnership with the Workers' Education Association (WEA). The Department of Tutorial Classes was under the direction of the Joint Committee for Tutorial Classes. During the war the Department of Tutorial Classes cooperated closely with the Australian Army Education Service which had been established in January 1941 to maintain morale amongst the men and also help to prepare them for peacetime employment. Director of the newly created Army Education Service was Dr RB Madgwick, lecturer in Economic History and secretary of the Sydney University Extension Board. The Department of Tutorial Classes provided lecturers and specially designed courses and lectures to the Army Education Service. In 1942, WGK Duncan, Director of Tutorial Classes, first prepared the Current Affairs Bulletin which dealt with the economic, political and strategic background of the war and was distributed to all Army men. The Department continued to publish the Bulletin after the war.In 1963 Senate appointed a Committee to consider the future relations of the Department of Tutorial Classes and the Extension Board. The Committee reported to Senate on 8 October 1963; it suggested that it would be advantageous to integrate the work of the Extension Board and the Joint Committee of Tutorial Classes. The Committee recommended that a Department of Adult Education be established and a Director be appointed, it also recommended that there should be no substantial reduction in the scale of the education programme at present undertaken in either department. Draft By-Laws for the new Department of Adult Education were tabled. Senate adopted the recommendations of the report. [Senate Minutes 8 October 1963, p.107]From 1964 onward the Tutorial classes were run by the Department of Adult Education under the direction of the Joint Committee of Tutorial Classes.