The University of St Andrews uploaded this film from their archives to You Tube recently. They were in two minds about doing it as they spend so much time nowadays telling people that it is The University of St Andrews and not St Andrews University as it says at the beginning of the film, it even has a full stop after St – which it definitely should not have.
Anyway, it’s a quaint film which was produced at the back end of the 1960s at a time when the university was restructuring, so it’s a bit of an advert really, but if you want to see some parts of Fife, the county which I am still living in then you might find it interesting. You can see the town of St Andrews which really hasn’t changed at all over the 40 years or so since the film was made, except the cars in the streets are different of course!
The students’ clothes are different too, there were more mini skirts in the 60s but they still wear their distinctive red woollen academic gowns although they are mainly kept for special occasions, like the Kate Kennedy Procession and the Pier Walk.
The university is now more than double the size it was back then though, it has about 9,000 students I think, still teeny by comparison with others, but it does have a great reputation.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Isa or Ian could go here! A grandma can dream.
Peggy,
There are so many US students at St Andrews that they now have the same semesters as the US. I’ll expect Isa and Ian in about 9 or 12 years then!
Thanks for putting this film up.St Andrews is my Alma Mater and I have never seen this before so found it fascinating. I was there in the late 1970’s/early 1980’s so all the new buildings shown in the film as under construction were up and running. It certainly is very North American influenced nowadays I do find myself
Jennifer K,
I’m glad you enjoyed it, it’s a real blast from the past with Andrew Cruickshank narrating it too, he was always Dr Cameron to me from Dr Finlay’s Casebook, but that would have been before your time. I suppose they are going out of their way to attract all sorts of foreign students nowadays, but certainly it’s very popular with Americans and I don’t blame them as it’s a lovely location.
Thanks for this which I’ve just come across. This is St Andrews as I remember it and, as they say, nostalgia is a wonderful thing.
Bob Fyall,
I’m glad you enjoyed it. Certainly St Andrews has changed quite a lot in recent years as the uni has expanded so much. The old town shops seem to change a lot too, every time we visit there’s something different shop-wise. I expect that the business rates are very high. Thanks for dropping by and taking the time to comment.
Katrina
Far more restaurants now – probably part of the Kate/Wills effect.
Anyway thanks again for the film.