DWE Dartington Hall School

DATE: 1926-1967

LEVEL: Series

This small series is comprised of Dorothy Elmhirst's records relating to the founding and administration of Dartington Hall School. It includes her correspondence with early School staff and educational advisors. The early period of the School is documented by extensive personal correspondence between Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst, Wyatt Rawson, and Marjorie Wise (see box 2). Rawson's effusive correspondence with both Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst is highly personal but mentions his involvement in the New Education Fellowship. Organisational records include reports from early School staff, advisors, and guest teachers such as H N Brailsford, J V (Vic) Elmhirst, Eduard Lindeman, and Ruth Morgan. Additionally there are records relating to student projects on the estate, and a journal including Dorothy's notes about school staff. Printed records include copies of the first prospectus, and the manifesto 'Outline of an Educational Experiment' (both 1926). There are also School prospectuses dating from 1946 through 1965. In 1931, W B Curry was hired as headmaster. The series therefore includes sporadic correspondence (c1930-1962) between Curry and Dorothy Elmhirst. Also included are some early records of the Education Committee including minutes. Alphabetical correspondence includes letters to and from school staff, parents, prospective parents, and education theorists including A S Neill. Considerable material pertains to child psychology. Teacher Training Department records include reports by Margaret Isherwood. There are also headmaster search records and subsequent correspondence (1956-1967) with Curry's successors, Hu and Lois Child. Occasional letters found in this series include those from Frances Cornford and Gerald Heard.

Dartington Hall School was founded by Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst as an experiment in progressive coeducation in 1926. From the beginning it was a central focus of their purpose in purchasing and renovating the Dartington Hall estate. The School was administered first by an Education Committee and there was considerable opposition to having a headmaster. Consequently, when Wyatt Rawson and Marjorie Wise, the School's most highly qualified teachers, were voted off the Education Committee in 1927, many of the duties of running the School fell to the estate's head gardener, Mr Woods. Dartington Hall featured a pupil-defined curriculum based upon the individual. There were few rules for older students. There were no uniforms, no formal religious education, no church services, no patriotism, and emphasis was placed on co-operation rather than athletic competition. In 1931, W B Curry accepted the position of headmaster, serving for 25 years until his retirement in 1957. Hubert and Lois Child served as joint head teachers until 1968 when they were succeeded by Dr Royston Lambert. Lambert left in 1973 to be succeeded by deputy head John Wightwick. The School closed due to low enrolment in 1987.

Information for Researchers

All papers belonging to The Dartington Hall Trust Archive (with the exclusion of Dartington Hall School pupils individual records) are held at the Devon Record Office. All enquiries relating to research should be made to Devon Records Office, Great Moor House, Bittern Road, Sowton, Exeter, Devon EX2 7NL
+44 (0)1392 384253
+44 (0)1392 384256
devrec@devon.gov.uk
www.devon.gov.uk/record_office

The following requests should be made direct to the Archives & Records at The Dartington Hall Trust as shown below:
Copies of images as seen on The Dartington Hall Trust online catalogue with appropriate reference number (Ref No.)
Permission to publish or quote from any document held in the Dartington Hall Trust Archive
Former pupils of Dartington Hall School wishing to view their records
Archives & Records
The Dartington Hall Trust
Dartington Hall
Totnes TQ9 6EL
01803 847200
yvonne.widger@dartington.org

This information is copyright The Dartington Hall Trust