Guildford School of Art
The Guildford Institute and the Science, Art and Technical classes run by Surrey County Council separated in 1910.
The school had once enjoyed a reputation as a major centre of photographic excellence under the Head of Photography, Ifor Thomas.
[7] That year, students' work Portrait of a Town featuring the people and buildings of Guildford, was shown at the Royal Institute of British Architects in London.
The School had a well-regarded complementary studies department headed by a fine artist and with many art historians, broadcast scriptwriters and published authors [who?]
[12] On 5 June the students occupied the refectory and spent many days writing a proposal to the principal Tom Arnold demanding changes.
As Tom Arnold was unable to contain the protest and end the sit-in, the Governors began issuing writs to the striking students on 11 June.
The School Registrar accompanied by police entered uninvited and handed them writs requiring them to appear before a Judge on Monday 8 July.
On 30 July Tony Heath asked amidst shouting how much ratepayers money had been spent on hiring security guards.
On 10 August, Eric Moonman MP for Billericay, made the first of what would become many appeals to the Education Secretary Edward Short to hold a public enquiry into the School.
They are causing no trouble … From what I can gather, the firm's idea was to build up the force of security men gradually and without the students suspecting, so that they could be ousted.
Hampshire County Council, having withdrawn a £9-a-week grant from a student, Sally Williams, at the request of SCC, realized this might be illegal and restituted it.
SCC had claimed that the sackings were due only to the need for economies but started to advertise for new staff in the Photographic department.
By 12 October with the confirmation of the dismissal of the seven full-time staff by SCC, Jack Straw added to the call for a public enquiry.
Sir John Summerson, chairman of the National Council for Diplomas in Art and Design found the decision to sack the staff "deplorable".
50 students started a 24-hour sit-in at Guildford School of Art in protest against the way it was reorganised and being run and demanded the reinstatement of the sacked staff.
Tom Arnold met 130 parents of students but did not answer their questions about the staff sackings, the sit-in or the restructuring of the School.
On 12 December 5 members of the Select Committee on Education and Science started their own enquiry led by Christopher Price MP.
[16] The sacked staff held an exhibition at the Royal Institute Galleries Piccadilly from 30 December 1968 to 9 January 1969[4][17] which John Lennon and Yoko Ono attended.
On the second anniversary of the sit-in, Moonman again called for a public enquiry,[citation needed] and was supported in a letter to The Times signed by David Hockney, Peter Sellers, C Day Lewis and many other noted artists, writers, politicians and academics.
In May 1971, Henry Moore, Shirley Williams and others wrote to The Times asking for the Secretary of State for Science and Education to intervene in an effort to resolve the long-standing dispute.
[19] By mid-June 1971 there was a sign of a thaw: SCC agreed to discuss compensation with the ATTI and an agreement was reached by the end of June.
