ABSTRACT
Back in 1924, Henry Morris, the then secretary of education in Cambridgeshire, published his famous thesis calling for the establishment of village colleges to serve as centres of their community.1 At that time, rural schools were not of the same standard as their urban counterparts and were mainly isolated primary schools. Morris recommended and established six community colleges in Cambridge in the period until 1954 when he retired. Several other counties followed his lead, as have school districts in the United States. Morris believed that a community college should offer the following services:
Both primary and secondary schools, and further education and adult education, on the same site;
A kindergarten for pre-school children; A village hall for use by the community as a whole, including evening musical and
dramatic shows, dances, whist drives and public meetings; A library available for both the pupils and adults; Extensive sports facilities available to both the pupils and the residents of the community; Accommodation for community activities such as the Women’s Institute, the British
Legion, Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, village cricket and football, health clinics and small business start-up units;
Employment training.
