A Brief History of Modern Languages at St Andrews
Modern Languages: General
Modern Languages were not taught as part of the Arts curriculum until after 1892, at which point new regulations took effect, broadening the existing curriculum from the traditional Classical Literature, Mental Philosophy, Mathematics and Natural Science.
Women studying for the Ladies Literate in Arts qualification, however, were studying French, German and Italian from 1877 and Spanish from 1904. The LA scheme (Literate in Arts), as it was called in its early years, was seen by those promoting it within the university as being the equivalent of the MA, but for women. In 1900 the Senatus ‘agreed that “Lady literate in arts” be officially recognised as the interpretation of LLA'
In 1886 the Calendar indicates that 'To women who propose to become teachers, this title is equivalent to a Diploma, or Licence to teach, in the subjects in which they have passed or taken Honours.' Women were to pass in seven subjects, at least one being a language: French, German and Italian, with Spanish from 1904, although it was not at first a subject recognised by the Board of Education.
One other item of note: by 1890, French and German were optional subjects for the Prelim Exams which permitted admission to the university as a candidate for the MA. From 1892 subjects included, under Language and Literature: Latin, Greek, English, French, German, Italian, Sanskrit, Hebrew, Arabic or Syriac, Celtic and Modern Greek. By 1901 this is refined to require MA candidates to pass a prelim exam in English, Latin or Greek, Mathematics and one of the following: Latin or Greek if not already taken, French, German, Italian or such other language as approved by Senatus.
French
Intermittent attempts were made in the 18th century to introduce the subject, and it was expected that students would receive elementary instruction in the language, such as to equip them for the ‘Grand Tour’. The first mention of a teacher of French dates back to 1755. Details of the terms of appointment in 1794 include a fee of half a guinea per quarter from each student and five hours teaching per week. A M Lagrandierre was appointed, succeeded by Rev James Hunter of Dunino in 1804 (who was also Professor of Logic). 1817 saw the appointment of M Samuel Messieux, who continued to teach until 1834 when he was appointed first teacher of French at the newly opened Madras College.
In 1892 the Court appointed M F F Roget as University Lecturer in French Language and Literature and Romance Philology. An Ordinance founding a Chair of French Language and Literature was approved on 29 October 1946. The first Professor of French Language and Literature was Ronald Carlyle Johnston MA, appointed in 1948.
German
The first mention of teaching German can be found in the 1901-2 Calendar: 'A Lecturer on German was appointed by the University Court in 1900, in accordance with Ordinance No. 17 (General No. 10) of the Scottish Universities Commission under the Act of 1889.’ The first lecturer was William Bayne, Lecturer in German Language and Literature. The first Professor of German Language and Literature was Charles Telford Carr, appointed in 1948, although the Chair was founded in 1947. It is thought that Carr had been teaching in the University since 1929. During both World Wars members of the Department who were of German origin were subject to internment.
Russian
The teaching of Russian is first mentioned in the Calendar of 1953-54 when an Introductory Class in Russian was given by a Dr Stanislaw Seliga. There is an undertaking to provide an Advanced Class if at least three students who already had some knowledge of Russian come forward. Dr Seliga appears never to have been a full member of staff, being listed in the Calendar as a temporary lecturer in Polish, and indeed he continued to lecture in Polish in an informal way for many years. In 1963 Harvey John Pitcher was appointed as the first Lecturer in Russian, joined in 1964 by John Sullivan and an Assistant Lecturer, Elizabeth Ann Freeman. By the following year she was designated a Lecturer and there was also a Lectrice, Joanna Flora Elizabeth Saunders. Professor Reginald Frank Christian was appointed Professor in 1967 although provision for the foundation of the Chair had been made in 1963.
Italian
Italian first appears in the University Calendar in 1934-5 when a general class and junior class were offered by a Dr Mario Alessandrini, who was appointed Lecturer in Italian in 1934. It last appears in 1938-9 when classes on this model were to be offered by ‘the lecturer’. There is thereafter no mention of Italian as a separate subject until 1995, when two Lecturers were appointed – Robert Wilson and Claudia Nocentini – and joint honours degrees were introduced. The previous year Italian had been taught at beginners’ level by a lettrice di ruolo, Dott. Patrizia Gambarotta, and part-time staff. In 1997 Ronnie Fergusson was appointed as Senior Lecturer, promoted to Chair in 2004.
Spanish
A lectureship was instituted in 1948 and the Chair was founded in 1963. Leslie James ‘Ferdie’ Woodward was in post 1964-1983 as Professor having previously been appointed as Lecturer in 1948. He was joined by Douglas Gifford in 1950, who was promoted to a personal chair 1975.
Arabic
Arabic was possibly originally part of the portfolio of the Chair of Hebrew and Oriental Language which was based in St Mary’s College. The Hebrew element was taught from 1579-1639, then re-established as a Regius Chair in 1668 although no appointment was made until 1688. Classes in Arabic were offered within Hebrew and Oriental Languages until the late 1940s. By 1950 the subject had gained sufficient status to be listed alone and Arabic features as a subject alongside French, German and Spanish throughout the period from 1953. Arabic was part of the initial set of departments in the School of Modern Languages and is coming home in 2011-12 after a period under the roof of History.
The School of Modern Languages came into existence in 1992. The first Head of School was Malcolm Scott. Stefan Pugh, Ronnie Ferguson and the serving Head Margaret-Anne Hutton are the most recent ones. We are nowadays one of the largest schools in the University in terms of student numbers. The staff list of 2010-11 boasts thirty professors, readers, senior lecturers and lecturers, eight native-speaker Lecteurs/Lectrices, three Teaching Fellows as well as eight Support Staff. – In addition to the return of Arabic we are celebrating the first intake of Comparative Literature students in 2011-12.