Papers of Harry Alfred Rée (1914-1991)

A small amount of very general correspondence, most dating from 1969-1974; letters to the press, 1964-1976; lectures, including to students at the University of York and to teachers' associations; addresses and scripts of broadcasts, 1950s-1970s; articles, reviews and other writings, 1940s-1970s. The collection also includes a substantial amount of material relating to Henry Morris and his contemporaries. Some of this is original material, 1920s-1960s, such as correspondence with Morris; writings, broadcasts and speeches by Morris; press cuttings and other biographical material; printed materials relating to the village colleges; photographs; audio- and video-tapes. The remainder comprises material generated by Rée as a result of his research on Morris, 1969-1980s, including correspondence with friends and colleagues of Morris and drafts of chapters for an edited volume of Morris's writings.

Harry Rée (1914-1991) was a student at the Institute of Education, University of London 1936-1937. He went on to become a language master at Bradford Grammar School and, after gaining a distinguished war record for his activities with the French resistance, was headmaster of Watford Grammar School. He then became the first Professor of Education at York University, 1961-1974. In the 1960s and 1970s he was a strong proponent of comprehensive education and was actively involved in a number of pressure groups, including the Society for the Promotion of Educational Reform through Teacher Training and the Programme for Reform in Secondary Education. In 1974 he left his professorship to return to classroom teaching in Woodberry Down Comprehensive School, London, where he remained until his retirement in 1980. In his retirement he continued to campaign for comprehensive education, for exchanges between young workers within the European Community and the reform of the 1988 Education Act. He was particularly influenced by Henry Morris (1889-1961) who, as Chief Education Officer for the County, had pioneered 'Village Colleges' in Cambridgeshire in the 1930s, and Rée became Morris's biographer and a strong advocate for community education.

Open

Open, subject to signature of Reader Application Form.

Acquired in Sep 1992 from the family.

A reader wishing to publish any quotation of information, including pictorial, derived from any archive material must apply in writing for prior permission from the Archivist or other appropriate person(s) as indicated by the Archivist. A limited number of photocopies may be supplied at the discretion of the Archivist.