Former teachers reunite and relive student days from the swinging sixties
Sunderland teachers who trained together 60 years ago have come together at a special reunion event.
The teachers studied together at Sunderland College of Education, which had been training the city’s teachers since 1908.
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The College, based at Langham Tower, merged with Sunderland Polytechnic in 1975, which would later go on to become the University of Sunderland in 1992.
The students studied together between 1966-69 and they were joined by other graduates from other classes over the years.
One of those in attendance was Bridget Andrews who said: “Keeping in touch with these longstanding friends from such a very important time in our lives when we trained together as educators is indeed a privilege.
“To be able to remember and reflect on our excellent training opportunities and teaching experiences and then compare those times to today is always a great topic of our conversations.
“Reminiscing and triggering past memories from over 60 years helps to keep us young at heart, and we are actually still learning things about each other that we never knew. This is something this lovely group of very special friends and I are determined to hold onto for as long as possible.”
During the reunion the former trainee teachers shared memories of student life in the 1960s, including their early experiences living in private “digs” before moving into student accommodation.
One of these stories saw some of the students caught returning after curfew and were asked to appear before the principal, Mr H Armstrong James, the following day.
The group explained to him that they had been celebrating Bridget’s 21st birthday, and his response included no retribution and became part of their shared legend: “Make sure next time you invite me!”
Among those attending was former PE Lecturer Sheila Coates, who completed her own studies in 1952 at what was then the Sunderland Teacher Training College. Sheila was also awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the University in 2024, recognising her outstanding service to education in the city and the region.
The college was the was a major provider of teacher training in the north-east during the mid-20th century, supporting the growing demand for qualified teachers in the post-war period.