Educational Institute of Scotland

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The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) is the oldest teachers' trade union in the world, having been founded in 1847 when dominies became concerned about the effect of changes to the system of education in Scotland on their professional status.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The EIS is the largest teaching union in Scotland, representing 80% of the country's teachers and lecturers. Template:As of it has 56,342 members.<ref name=Return2022/>

General SecretariesEdit

1910-1915: Samual Murray

1915-1922: Hugh Cameron

1922-1926: George Crossar Pringle

1926-1941: Tom Henderson

1941-1945: John Wishart

1945-1952: Alexander J. Belford

1952-1960: William Campbell

1960-1974: Gilbert Stewart Bryden

1974-1988: John D. Pollock

1988-1995: Jim Martin

1995-2012: Ronnie Smith

2012-2022: Larry Flanagan

2022-present: Andrea Bradley

File:Scottish Educational Journal June 21, 1979.jpg

A copy of the Scottish Educational Journal from 21 June 1979, in tabloid format.

Scottish Educational JournalEdit

The magazine of the EIS started in 1876 as a densely typeset, weekly tabloid called The Educational News. In 1918, the publication was renamed Scottish Educational Journal (SEJ). Like its predecessor, the SEJ started as a weekly tabloid, but by the late 20th century it had become a monthly magazine.<ref name=SEJ>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

FellowshipsEdit

Since being granted a royal charter by Queen Victoria, it is the only union able to award degrees.<ref>"1851 Queen Victoria granted a Royal Charter to the EIS. Membership at the time: over 1,800. Among the powers conferred on the EIS was the power to award a degree of "Fellow of the Institute". In 2007, the EIS remains the only trade union which awards degrees." {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> A recipient of the EIS degree is a Fellow of the Educational Institute of Scotland, denoted by the post-nominal FEIS.

An early example of such a degree (awarded in December 1847) was worded as follows:<ref>Handwritten copy by John G. Smith, appended to his letter dated 28 Sep 1864 to Southland Provincial Council, New Zealand - Extracted from Southland Provincial Papers, SP 14 Immigration (at very end of Roll 32) held at Invercargill Public Library, Southland, NZ</ref>

The Educational Institute of Scotland
DIPLOMA OF FELLOW.
We, the Committee of Fellows of the Educational Institute of Scotland, appointed by the General Meeting which was held in the High School of Edinburgh on Saturday the 18th September 1847 to grant Diplomas to those Members admitted within the year 1847 who might be desirous of obtaining the Grade of Junior Licentiate, Senior Licentiate or Fellow, having examined the evidence produced by Mr John Gibson Smith, Schoolmaster of Ednam, in attestation of his professional attainments, experience and skill – and having found that his testimonials certify -
1st That he is qualified to teach English, Grammar, Composition, History, Geography, Writing, Arithmetic, Algebra, Natural Science, Agricultural Chemistry, Latin, Greek and French.
2nd That he has taught with acceptance and success during a period of Twenty years all the above named branches -
Do hereby, on the 11th day of December 1847, grant to the said Mr John Gibson Smith this Diploma conferring on him the Grade of Fellow of the Educational Institute of Scotland, with all the honours rights and privileges thereto belonging.
(Signed) L. Schmits, George S. Davidson, F.R. Low L.L.D., James Fulton, John White, Alex Reid L.L.D., Walter Nichol L.L.D., Wm. Knox.{{#if:|{{#if:|}}

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Women in the EISEdit

The 20 June 1913 issue of The Educational News reported that the EIS had elected its first woman president, Elizabeth Fish. The report also reflected on the progress of women teachers in Scotland. "When the Institute was founded in 1847," the report says, "education was looked upon as a man's work." Women teachers were virtually absent in schools before the passage of the Education Act of 1872, but by the time Fish was named as president, there were six times as many women teachers as men, and women were also represented in the EIS council. The article also touched upon the subject of pay equity, decrying the "shameful salaries" many women teachers were paid.<ref name=TEN1913>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Industrial actionEdit

In 2011 and again in 2018, threats of industrial action by the EIS evoked memories for many of the long-running teacher strikes of the 1980s.<ref name=Scotsman2011>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Denholm>Template:Cite news</ref> During the 1984-86 industrial action almost 15 million pupil days were lost across Scotland.<ref name=Calum>Template:Cite news</ref> It was a sustained campaign in opposition to the Conservative Government. Former trade union leader Larry Flanagan described it as "the first time that any group of workers, anywhere in the UK, successfully stood firm in defiance of a concerted, ideologically driven attack by the Tory government."<ref name=Calum/>