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Miss Stansfeld was dictatorial in nature and this was reflected in college life at Bedford. From the student's viewpoint: “What most though, found hardest to endure without flinching was the severe, if not ruthless criticism to which they were subjected incessantly. In the eyes of their various tutors, they could never do well. They were never praised” and “the moral undertow of petty discipline was seldom far below the surface” 64. 

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Colwill (Bedford, 1915) defends Miss Stansfeld's autocracy: “Today it seems cruel to a sensitive girl but it was Miss Stansfeld's way of getting to the bottom of things. She went through everything. She did not have the quality of finesse. She went through not round” 65. 

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If the high standards were not met students were told to leave college. In 1909, nine out of twenty-seven students were sent home after one term, despite the economic consequences of lost fees. The juniors, (first year students), had a dread of being summoned to Miss Stansfeld’s office, to be told they were being sent home. 

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Farr (Bedford, 1918) remembers how some students were “frightened of Miss Stansfeld in lectures" 66. Farr would answer when others were too petrified to. Showing fear would not have been conducive to a successful stay at college. Some students simply left of their own accord and it may be that not all jumped before they were pushed. Some students just did not want to accept the harsh regime and lifestyle while trying to reach near impossibly high standards.  

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Farr's roommate was a girl from Liverpool who “was miserable from start to finish and left of her own accord at half term.” Even at a much later period strict standards were applied. At Bedford, girls who showed any kind of weakness, such as `ditheryness' that irritated staff would be persecuted and actually driven out! 67. 

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Some students left for reasons unknown to the remainder. Goodrich (Bedford, 1925) remembered a “St Paul's person, she was a colourless person but quite good, there was some sort of hullabaloo and she left, we never knew why” 68. 

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Other students did something wrong and were sent away. At Bedford 1 in 3 might be gone by Christmas. Todd (Bedford, 1923) shared “’with a very nice girl’. Her father was a general, but she found the work too hard and was gone after 2 terms” 69.

 

A comparative Dartford college study of 23 students who were sent down during this period shows that 15 had substandard theory and/or practical work, three left on doctor's advice, one for poor behaviour and lack of application, and one for gross Indiscipline; This case centred around a student who went to a tea dance at the Ritz. Having failed to return to college on time and being involved in a car crash on the way back, she fabricated an excuse, was found out, and dismissed immediately. 70. 

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Lewis (Bedford 1930), remembers how one girl was persecuted by staff, increasing her nervousness until she willingly left after two terms 71. Surviving so long into the year and then leaving was unusual suggesting this student had the ability but not the desire to complete the course at Bedford. Usually after the first term the main culling was over and students only had to worry about removal for gross breach of discipline.  

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In 1908 Phyllis Spafford (who later was asked by Miss Stansfeld to become Principal of Bedford College) believed she was in danger of removal. She had been “top of school, captain of everything. ‘I nearly ran away; I was on a term's probation.' Her mother became concerned and went to Miss Stansfeld and said 'Phyllis tells me she may have to go, she's only just come?’" Miss Stansfeld is alleged to have replied equally as bluntly that 'She's all right.'  Spafford believes she was then safe and out of trouble, though she continued to be unhappy at college. 72. 

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Being able to turn and fight back when your back was to the wall could work as a last resort. Stratford (Bedford, 1925) had seen up to twenty percent of her year 'sent down' before her, when just before the Christmas holiday she was summoned by Miss Stansfeld and told, “Miss Stratford you need not come back after Christmas. I have a rule that I do not take any one with spectacles." Faced with the finality of her leader's statement and its unusual justification Stratford replied, “Thank you” and walked out. Her response to her apparent relegation was quite unique, she ignored it and turned up as normal at the college after Christmas. Nothing was said for a while, then she met Miss Stansfeld in the corridor, who said “All right I see you're here?" "Yes" replied Stratford "because I know I can teach [and] we have not had a chance to prove ourselves yet." "Well, we will see what happens?"  said Miss Stansfeld. Stratford, by showing commendable guts and character when all else was lost, earned a reprieve and went on to complete the course successfully. She was convinced that Miss Stansfeld “said things to see what you were made of" 73.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Group photograph of students inside the gymnasium circa 1916-20 with staff including Miss Stansfeld, 2nd row centre and showing the impressive output of qualified physical trainers by the college. 

Bedford Physical Education Archive. University of Bedfordshire Special Collections. Further reproduction or copying of this image is not permitted without the consent of  the University of Bedfordshire Library and BPEOS Association.

 

Bearing in mind married middle class women were often expected not to work, and give up their jobs. Overall 99/122 or 81% of unmarried old students in a Bedford student sample (data taken from Bedford Physical Training College Students' Association Report 1914/5) were working in 1915.  Of the two in ten not working, some might have been looking for work, others may have been unable to work, due to incapacity or caring for sick relatives, some might have worked in the past but not now. Even of those choosing not to work, some would be doing philanthropic work.

 

Of all students employed 76. 8%, or three out of every four were employed as teachers in secondary schools and colleges. Of the rest; private school work, educational instructors, and assistants, made up a further 15% of employment. Much of this work involved teaching or supervising, in small private educational institutions. Of the remainder; one student was an educational inspector, one worked in a hospital, another taught in a women's club, others taught in a factory.  The bigger and later sets, in particular sets 1912-1914, began to show more variation in employment type, though this remained educational in nature. This may suggest widening occupational opportunities in education. 

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Next:  Post 1920 and Conclusion 

Previous:  Staff and student college life together