R.M. Berry (nee R.M. Gregory)
Edinburgh College of Domestic Science
(Atholl Crescent) 1933 - 1936

Atholl Crescent consisted of Nos. 1-5 and No. 13 for Housewifery.

It was said there were 1,000 students attending courses at that time. There was always a smart janitor in the entrance hall.

My room was a cubicle in the attic. A room had been divided into three, with the divisions not reaching the ceiling so one was aware of the other occupants. I was fortunate to have a window. We had to wash basins and slop pails and of course, cold water. Toilets, which we had to queue for were alonmg the passge and I think we had one bath a week. We had lunch with the day students in the dining hall. Supper was dishes which had been cooked in classes during the day.

After a tiime a new hostel was opened; Lorne House in Drumsheugh Gardens. A few of us were asked to move to this hoster to help get it started. It was very different. We each had our own room, and a cubicle for our washing, and baths were more frequent. There was a nicely furnished common room, which we used frequently. Now we had good hot meals cooked especially for us.

Laundry was our main subject for the first two terms. We were put on our mettle right away - "there are too many in this group, some of you will have to go", we were told, and go they did, if they did not show an aptitude for teaching, for we started teaching practice right away. We went to Moray House twice a week for Methodes of Teaching and Psychology; very cold walks down the Royal Mile, no anoraks nor warm boots in those days.

We also had lessons in Science and Book Keeping and an external exam in eclectricity. We were told if we got a First Class pass in Laundry we could consider ourselves the best Laundress int he world!

Thereafter we started Plain Class Cookery, working with a partner for the next six terms, with teaching practice and helping with the demonstrations which were open to the public. During all these terms we also did needlework and dress-making and housewifery in our last term the high-light of which was inviting Miss Wingfield for lunch. As Principal, Miss Wingfield was not a distant figure. She made a point of getting to know the teachers-in-training; she attended all the student union meetings and at our annual hostel dance, the custom was to introduce our partners to her.

Theses courses spanned over eight terms by which time we had earned the Teacher's Diploma 1. In order to have a full 3 Year Training and thus a better salary, we could do a one term endorsement in High Class Cookery or Dress-making, providing we had a First Class pass in the subject of our own choice. I did High Class Cookery. There were, I think, nine of us in the group. We had Test Dinners, of four hours preparation. These were of a very high standard. We also took part in the public demonstrations, which were very exacting.

As well as the intensive work during the week we had much enjoyment on Saturdays at the sports field at Corstorphine, playing lacrosse or hockey in the winter and tennis or cricket in the summer. We enjoyed touring the Borders playing hockey matches and we invited the Veterinary College to play cricket against us, when they gallantly played left handed! On an occasion at hockey, Poppy, who was in a different hostel from me and who I did not know asked if I would like to go hiking with her at half-term, since we were both English and would not be going home.

We went, the first of many half-terms hikes in all weathers and the making of a life-long friendship. We did the week-end on ten shillings; a shilling a night for the youth hostel, three shillings bus fare and the rest on food, mostly bread and cheese!

Some of us went to a Gym Class in the winter. It did not occur to us to ask for a late supper, so if we could not afford egg and chips on the way home, we went to bed hungry.

There was also the Student Christian Movement, when members met once a week. Eleanor Holland was President, niece of Sir Henry Holland of Queta, knighted for his work among the blind in India. We attended interesting inter-varsity meetings where we met students who were to go overseas as medical missionaries. It could have been that through these meetings Poppy and I, unbeknown to one another, also began to have thoughts of going overseas. One has to realise that at that time, missionary work was the one channel for anyone wanting to do "charity" work. Two others of the High Class Cookery group were already engaged to missionaries. I was troubled to think that after doing High Class Cookery I would be teaching cookery in a clay pot on three stones! and so I wrote to Miss Wingfield. She replied, "Only the best is good enough for Africa", indicating concern for overseas students which led to her encouragement for them to enrol at college - the beginning of what is now general policy.

So our three years at college was a time of hard work, when only the best would do, giving us a pattern for life, and of other varied interests.

R.M. Berry (nee R.M. Gregory)

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