Jimmy Reid address to be made available to all high school pupils

JIMMY Reid's celebrated address at Glasgow University is to be made available to every Scottish secondary pupil, the education secretary has confirmed

Michael Russell confirmed the arrangements following the First Minister Alex Salmond's commitment at his funeral to make Reid's Rectorial Address widely available.

A new section on the LTS (Learning Teaching Scotland) educational website will host the 1972 address. Other material on Jimmy Reid will be promoted to teachers of History and Modern Studies as being of great importance in understanding modern Scotland.

Mr Russell said: "The First Minister's initiative in ensuring that a speech described by the New York Times as "the greatest speech since President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address" is made as widely available as possible —and in particular that it is made easily accessible to secondary school pupils in Scottish schools — will be warmly welcomed throughout the country.

"Jimmy used to say that he had to discover Scottish history for himself, as it was not taught to pupils of his generation. Fortunately, that is no longer true, but we always need to keep updating what is studied and read, and I have no doubt that Jimmy's vision, humanity and wisdom are a lesson to us all. They have great relevance to our past, present and future.

"The Rectorial Address, along with biographical and other material, including video and audio clips, will be brought together over the next few weeks to form not just a comprehensive tribute but also a comprehensive learning resource.

"I will also ensure it is promoted to teachers as very suitable for inclusion in cross-curricular activity within the Curriculum for Excellence."

At the time of the speech Reid's public profile was high as a result of the UCS "work-in" and the text was carried in full on the front page of the New York Times.

In the address Reid said the "rat race was for rats." He went on to state: "we're not rats, we're human beings. Reject the insidious pressures in society that would blunt your critical faculties to all that is happening around you, that would caution silence in the face of injustice lest you jeopardise your chances of self advancement."