Our First Alumnus
The newly-built York Diocesan Training College in 1845
Today, York St John is 175 years old. It’s supposed to be 175 years and one week old, but things didn’t work out quite as intended on May 10, 1841. The college, then at Monkgate over the road from the County Hospital, was open for business, but no students arrived to register. One week later a solitary 16-year-old York boy arrived, and the college creaked open.
Sixteen seems an early age for starting college, but as Gordon McGregor notes, “Students could enter at the age of 15 – raised to 17 in 1844 – but would not be recommended to take charge of a school until 18.”¹ In 1841, as for the following 134 years, the college’s primary role was the preparation of schoolteachers, although the public resolution issued following an 1839 meeting of the York Diocesan Society at the Minster, chaired by the Archbishop was more specific: ” …for the Education both of the Poor and Middle Classes of Society…”
Registration of YSJU’s first student!
So who was this first student, YSJU’s first alumnus? We know precious little about him, but the student register records that he was Edward Preston Cordukes, the son of a widow, Sarah Cordukes, and that he was baptized on July 7, 1828 at Holy Trinity Church, York. His father, Thomas had died aged 38 at Bridlington in 1833, and Edward was the sixth of 9 children. Sarah would have paid £20 per annum for Edward’s tuition and boarding, “to include Bed-Linen but not Washing.”¹
He and other students – one added in July 1841, two more in September – would have experienced a rigorous daily routine by today’s standards. By the mid-1840’s, students would have risen at 5:30 and studied at 6:00, before breakfast and prayers at 6:45. The hours of teaching were from 9:00 – noon and from 2:00 – 5:00. Evening activities included some manual work such as gardening, and supper was followed by more studying and prayers from 7:00 to 9:40. “Gas turned off at 10:00.”¹ Edward’s days would have been very similar to that.
The curriculum was formidable by any standards: Holy Scripture, Church Catechism, Liturgy, Church History, Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, English Grammar, History, Geography, Book-keeping, Mensuration, Elements of Algebra, Geometry, Practical Mechanics, Music, Linear Drawing, and The Rudiments of Latin! And then there were the teacher training components!
A giant Edward Cordukes celebrates the inauguration of the University’s first Chancellor in 2007.
Flash forward to 1993 and the Students’ Union were looking for a name for the Union building. The natural solution was to dedicate its home as the Cordukes Building . After the college attained university status in 2006, Edward Cordukes, in giant puppet form was witness to the inauguration of the first Chancellor, Archbishop John Sentamu at York Minster in 2007.
Today a modern, thriving university celebrates 175 years of development from the humble beginnings in the days of Edward Cordukes. One student has become 6,000, rented accommodation has become an inspiring amalgamation of historic buildings and state-of-the-art teaching and learning facilities, and students … are still students albeit with very different challenges and rigors from those in 1841. (Not many these days are seen taking charge of a school at age 18!) In any case, on this wonderful day, Happy Birthday to us and here’s to the next 175 years!
Congratulations to Fordham University, NY who also celebrate their 175th starting on June 24!
¹ MacGregor, Gordon – Life More Abundant | York St John University 1841-2008. York: Sessions of York, 2009
