THE NEWNHAM YEARAn Inside Perspective

THE NEWNHAM YEAR An Inside Perspective

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THEMES AND TOPICS

Foreword by Patricia Hodgson

Michaelmas Term• Coming up• Matriculation• First feast• Settling in• Getting down to work• Sports• Christmas and festivities

Lent Term• Exam pool, seminars and the literary festival• Library, archives and rare books room• Halfway Hall• College governance and committees • Telephone campaign• Performing• Commemoration• Gardens

Easter Term• Revision and exams• Staff • May Week• Graduation

List of Subscribers

EDITORIAL BOARD

Rebecca Abrams (Alumna and author)Alan Davidson (Photographer)Jo Eames (Alumna and author)Penny Hubbard (Alumna and Development

Director)Catherine Seville (Alumna and Vice Principal)Anne Thomson (College Archivist)Anna Wakerley (Alumna and Roll Committee)

SPECIALSUBSCRIBERPRICE£25.00*

*PLUS P&P /RRP £29.50

HOLD THE DATE – PUBLICATION LAUNCH PARTY AT NEWNHAM 15TH OCTOBER 2011

WE'RE NEARLY THERE!

Since we sent you our first brochure Alan Davidson has taken hundreds of beautiful shots, the archivist has delved into the archives to find the best and most evocative historical photographs, and a large number of you have sent in wonderful memories and captions of what Newnham means to you.

The book has one hundred and forty four pages of wonderful images from both the past and the present. It captures the beautiful gardens, the imposing Champneys buildings, but more than that, it truly evokes the essence of Newnham College. The creation of the book has united many aspects of College life, culminating in a mass photograph that saw everyone congregating on Clough Lawn, from porters and professors to gardeners and students.

You too are part of the great Newnham community and network. By subscribing now, your name and matriculation year will be included in the book, making it a unique record of your involvement with Newnham College. I know I am going to be proud to show it to my grandchildren, and I hope you will too. Please order your book now and join us in supporting this fantastic project – and celebrating our very special college.

Penny Hubbard NC 79Development Director & Registrar of the Roll

The cycle of The Newnham Year has a timeless quality; it changes yet retains elements and instances which stand out in our memories. Many of these moments are recorded in photographs which we recognise instinctively as being familiar, yet adjusted, to refl ect their age and time.

As well as these emblematic pictures this book will include images of sights that form the very fabric of this special place from new and different perspectives.

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michaelmas Term

6th Decemberadmissions interviews follow immediately after the end of term. This involves much complex coordination, since candidates will have at least two interviews, and may well have to sit a written test. although the terrifying Cambridge entrance and Scholarship examinations have gone, it is still useful to see whether or not a candidate can write well to time. Particularly for those subjects which are not studied at a level, it is important to assess whether candidates can handle unfamiliar ways of thinking, or deal with material they have not prepared. For lawyers, speed, flexibility and the ability to look ahead are key qualities; as is a readiness to assess the interviewer’s often challenging responses, and to adapt one’s argument appropriately. Candidates tend to regard the

interviews with dread, but often enjoy the sparring far more than they expected to. watching them begin to take pleasure in thought and argument can be a lot of fun for us all.

The interview process is far more controlled, structured, and transparent than it used to be. we are not permitted to ask about long journeys, unusual names, or what a candidate read on the train. Instead we are to confine ourselves to giving our name and subject, and outlining the structure, purpose and length of the interview. Interview reports are disclosed if requested, so it is no longer prudent to write, ‘Face like a plate.’ (a note that I saw on a Pool interview form in the 1980s). although numbers of applicants now make this impossible, it used to be customary for the Principal to see each candidate. Dame myra Curtis

(Principal 1942-54) pinned a brief note to the front of each file, presumably intended to encapsulate each candidate, to distinguish one from another after a long day of interviewing. ‘Candidate T’, for example, was described as: ‘Dark, attractive looking – very vague (couldn’t remember what her essay was about).’ I have met several people who remember interviewing with ruth Cohen (Principal 1954-72), who smoked a cigarillo, thereby shocking the more sheltered candidates. Candidates today would probably be equally taken aback if I did the same.

19th DecemberIn the snowy days before Christmas I catch up with administration, and start on the backlog of academic work. my graduate students have produced outlines, drafts and chapters which need careful reading and assessment. I write a couple of book reviews, to publicise the work of colleagues in my field, and to help the editors of the relevant journals. my own research is on intellectual property, particularly copyright history. There is a query from the University Library, asking about the copyright status of various nineteenth-century publications of Swinburne’s poetry, both in Britain and the United States. It is good to feel that my somewhat abstruse knowledge is of direct practical benefit to someone. I am also approached by a european radio station, asking if I will be interviewed about a proposed French law. again, it is gratifying that people are interested! Christmas cards and messages arrive from former students all over the world, which is a delight. The Staff Christmas lunch, lively and relaxed, brings together all staff and Senior members. It is a happy way to close a busy year.

but not to waste time. The Governing Body (which all Fellows attend) meets twice this term, overseeing policy with a sharp eye. as might be expected, everyone has a view on everything, and discussions are constructive. Occasionally, an item proves unexpectedly controversial. The debate concerning the correct location for ‘The Dolphin Boy’ statue was the longest in my memory; but of course the gardens are rightly regarded as tremendously important. much of the business of the College is handled by the Council, which usually meets fortnightly. again, good sense and sound management are the characteristic qualities of these meetings, and always a positive attitude. There is good humour and a light touch in debate, also. rumours that the Vice-Principal supported red Nose Day by wearing one during a Council meeting cannot be denied, since the minutes confirm it.

Newnham is a sociable place. Senior members regularly lunch together. Inevitably, a lot of business is done at the same time, but there is still time to enjoy the company of colleagues from all disciplines. Newcomers and guests often comment on the warm and welcoming atmosphere, and enjoy the laughter and conversation, particularly over coffee afterwards. For me, it is often a rejuvenating space in a crowded day. If the weather is good, a quick detour to take in the seasonal pleasures of the garden helps to clear the mind. The garden team are busy sweeping leaves at this time of year and bright crisp sunshine bring out the best in the colour of the beautiful Champneys buildings as the ivy starts to change colour to a fiery red. There are many marvellous events on offer, too; student concerts on wednesdays, Pudding Seminars by members of the College on Fridays, the Principal’s

Lodge Seminars (offering an eclectic and entertaining series of speakers), and a whole range of ad hoc talks of every description. all this helps to broaden and deepen the life of the College, and to cement links between its members.

28th NovemberChristmas approaches with a rush, and music for the Festive Season usually falls at the very end of November. Clough hall is beautifully decorated with a lovely tree, and there are Christmas Dinners every night of the last week of term, for those with the stamina. I see my undergraduates for end of term interviews, to discuss their supervision reports and to hear their own sense of their progress. The first years, in particular, are proud of what they have achieved in their first term, and now feel happily at home in Newnham. The snowmen (or perhaps women?) that pop up in the gardens are dressed wittily with Newnham scarves and carry empty bottles of wine.

29th NovemberThe final week is heavy with committees, both in Newnham and in the Faculty, settling business for the end of the calendar year. Those of us on the arts and humanities Junior research Fellowship Committee spend every spare minute reading a huge crop of applications. Competition is intense, and weighing candidates from one discipline against another is tricky, particularly since their research topics are hugely diverse. The successful candidate will be able to dedicate three years to her academic research, which is a rare privilege. These appointments are crucial in maintaining the flow of young academics, and Newnham is enriched by them.

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THE NEWNHAM YEARAn Inside PerspectiveTHE NEWNHAM YEARAn Inside Perspective

THE NEWNHAM YEAR An Inside Perspective

Photography by Alan Davidson

BOOK SPECIFICATIONS

Hardback • 250 x 250mm •144 pages printed incolour throughout •Up to 300 illustrationsin colour and black andwhite • Publication15 October 2011 •Price on publication £29.50

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WORDS AND PICTURES – Last chance to subscribe!

No single aspect will do – Newnham gave us the opportunity to experience so much:- misty mornings on the river, our coach silhouetted against the sunrise; anticipation as we returned to the Porters' Lodge and eyed our pigeonholes from afar; crew breakfasts in our socks in the Buttery (warm round rolls, butter and marmalade); notebooks by our doors stuffed with 'sorry I missed you' messages from people now too famous to remember us; ever-so-slightly sheepish men in the corridors; the Newnham banner unfurled for me on our wedding day... tiny vignettes brim-full of memories of everything and everyone.Jo Burch NC 83

I’ll never forget my interview at Newnham – I had ‘auditioned’ for a College in Oxford with 2 gentlemen whose faces had curdled with disapprobation when I’d expressed an interest in the performing arts and I was not expecting much. After an afternoon with Jean Gooder and Sita Narasimhan, I was walking on air – the sense of being heard, truly understood and then nudged into clarifi cation was overwhelming. I’m afraid I stole an IN/OUT tray to celebrate my high for which I got a row from my parents. They then nailed it to the back of the front door. I’ll always be grateful to Newnham and its extraordinary teaching. I’ll always feel slightly guilty about that IN/OUT tray.Emma Thompson NC 78

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An Inside Perspective An Inside Perspective

THE NEWNHAM YEARTHE NEWNHAM YEAR An Inside Perspective An Inside Perspective An Inside Perspective

THE NEWNHAM YEAR

Photography by Alan DavidsonPhotography by Alan Davidson