Axiell Internet Server 6
    TitleDavid Capper collection
    ReferencePP/CAPPER
    Date
    1900 - 1968
    Scope and ContentBOX 1

    Folder - Portrait of a comrade, by Nan McMillan
    An 85pp typescript by Capper's wife. This is informative about his childhood and early manhood and his early career in teaching and politics. Political subjects covered include the Teachers Labour League, the Educational Workers International, the National Association of Labour Teachers, and the case of Margaret Clarke, a Birmingham teacher whose certificate was withdrawn for activity in the General Strike. Unfortunately the story is not taken beyond 1931, at which point Capper lost a post at Gillingham (Kent).

    Folder - General career in teaching, 1922-1966
    Certificates, testimonials, letters of application and appointment.

    Folder - Teachers Labour League/ Educational Workers League (1928-9)
    A) National Executive Committee, Minutes, 21 April 1928 - 7 Dec 1929
    This is the first minute book; previously minutes had just been circulated. Capper was Secretary.
    B) International Sub-Committee, Minutes, 26 Jan 1929 - 7 Dec 1929
    Minutes pasted into book. Capper was Secretary
    C) Material relating to the issue of church schools and religious education, including:-
    Letter to G.C.T. Giles, 15 Feb 1928
    Draft of preliminary report to Education Sub-Committee on 'Religion, teachers and education in England', 25 Feb 1928
    Teachers Labour League leaflet on 'Re-organisation, salaries and religion' issued to delegates of NUT Special Conference, Dec 1929

    Folder - London Central Committee (of London Teachers Association) (1939-1943)
    The London Teachers Association was the County Association of the National Union of Teachers. In the Second World War its headquarters was evacuated but there continued to be a need for an organisation serving the needs of members who still worked in the metropolis, and this was known as the London Central Committee. Capper became Secretary. The bulk of this file consists of its minutes, which together with other items give much insight into the impact of the war on London's educational provision. The Committee was wound up in June 1943.

    Folder - National Council for Civil Liberties - suggested Teachers Joint Committee (August 1940)
    A resolution of the London Central Committee to attend a NCCL conference in connection with this proposed committee was stamped on by NUT Executive. The file contains correspondence and supporting material.

    Peoples Convention (1941)
    A small amount of material, which includes the text of a reply by Ben Bradley to an attack on the Convention published in 'The Schoolmaster'.

    BOX 2

    Folder - Capper's involvement in campaign against attempts by religious leaders to increase influence over schools (1941-1944)
    Communists had consistently opposed the system of dual control in education and the encroachment of church influence in state schools; their vision was ultimately a secular one. The teacher unions did not go this far but jealously preserved the conscience clause for their members and sought fair treatment ; they opposed denominationalism and inspection of schools by the clergy. With the exception of Roman Catholic Schools, Church schools were in financial decline with the inevitable consequence that the role of the state was increasing.
    The early years of the War threatened to upset the uneasy truce on this matter between the interested parties. Evacuation drew to the attention of rural Anglicans the supposed 'godlessness' of inner city elementary school children, and a head of steam developed for a campaign by Anglican leaders (with some Free Church support) to gain a much greater degree of influence over schooling, including Council schools. This campaign was given expression in a 'Statement by the Archbishops' in February 1941, which contained five proposals which appeared to be taken on board in the first draft of the Board of Education's plans for post-war reconstruction.
    The situation alarmed not just the Communists and other secularists but many others in the teaching profession, and this file shows the leading role which Capper took in shaping a response. Their aim was to stiffen resistance within the National Union of Teachers. The Communists decided not to stress the 'secular solution' but to adopt a pragmatic approach, avoiding any settlement that would increase the influence of the churches in council schools, raise additional obstacles to the eventual abolition of Dual Control, or render more difficult the ultimate freeing of education from organised religion.

    The file includes two important drafts by Capper: - 'The schools and religious instruction' (2nd May 1941); 'The proposed new Education bill - Communist policy' (1942?)

    Other material includes: letters by Sir Frederick Mander explaining NUT policy; correspondence between Capper and the Secretary of the NUT Education Committee; cuttings from 'The Schoolmaster' of five articles by Sir Frederick Mander (29th Jan - 26th Feb 1942); a letter from Mary Epstein to Communist teachers' group leaders; and a copy of a report of a top level NUT deputation in June 1942 in which views were exchanged with R.A.Butler, James Chuter Ede and Board officials on the subject of 'The dual system and religious instruction'..

    Folder - Other Communist Party activity on educational matters (1941-2)
    Material on various subjects including: Draft report of a national conference of CP teachers, Nov 15th [1941?]; 'Schools for Victory' campaign; various items on post-war educational reconstruction; nursery provision; CP membership and activities among teachers in the London area; leaflet prepared in advance of NUT conference, Easter 1942; National Federation of Class Teachers; draft for a Bulletin article on schools in the USSR; statement on 'extraneous duties'.

    Folder - Public school and direct grant school issues (1944-7)
    Material acquired or generated by Capper in conjunction with a campaign on direct grant or voluntary aided schools; he saw the main obstacle to comprehensivisation in London as the number of schools choosing to retain voluntary status. Material includes : NUT's statement on Fleming Committee report on public schools; Memo by Capper as Vice-President, London Teachers Association to its Education Committee on 'London school plan and aided grammar schools (1947); subsequent correspondence with NUT officials.

    Folder - Battersea Grammar School (1945-1956)
    This is a substantial file covering one of the crises in Capper's career. He took a post as Assistant Master at this voluntary aided school in September 1945. In the next few years he continued to be very active in the London Teachers Association. He was primarily teaching Geography rather than French, his degree subject. This rendered him vulnerable to the attack which occurred in 1953, when the Head asked him to transfer to another LCC school.
    The attack was not ostensibly politically motivated, but Capper got the support of both the LTA and the IAAM, and in a letter to their officials commentated on rumours that " my headmaster has already got rid of 'that red Capper' on political grounds". In the event he did not get rid of Capper as the School's Staff Society voted overwhelmingly against his plan to put the transfer proposal to the Governors, and he was forced to withdraw.
    Capper did make strenuous efforts to seek other LCC posts before, during and after this crisis; the file contains details of these applications.

    Folder - Humanist activity (1954-1966)
    A small file, mainly comprising Humanist Teachers Association material from 1965/6.

    Anti-racist activity (1968)
    A letter, with reply and attachments, from Capper, as General Secretary of the Lambeth Teachers Association, to Fred Jarvis, then Head of Publicity and Public Relations at the NUT. The context was the furore associated mainly with Enoch Powell's speeches, but Capper's specific request for information related to NUT's expulsion some years earlier of the National Socialist, Colin Jordan.
    Extent2 boxes
    Persons keywordNational Union of Teachers
    Levelfonds
    Normal locationAG Capper, David (Room 36)