This issue of The Morning Watch marks the beginning of our twenty-fifth year of publication. Launched in 1973 under the editorship of Ishmael Baksh, Amarjit Singh and William J. Gushue, the periodical was intended to facilitate discussion of issues in education, particularly those of relevance to Newfoundland. As Gushue noted in 1977,
the birth of The Morning Watch [was]
explained by the somewhat
rapid awakening of the Newfoundland consciousness. Indeed, that fact is
reflected in the title of the journal, in that it is the morning watch
that precedes a new day -- a new and better era for Newfoundland and its
people. In the early issues, therefore, it was the culture of this province
that was emphasized. (Society, Culture and Schooling, ed. A. Singh
and I.J. Baksh, 1977)
Very quickly, therefore, articles written from the perspective of various disciplines appeared in The Morning Watch. Among them, increasingly, were contributions from members of our Faculty of Education, exploring such themes as social/cultural change and the re-evaluation of schooling, educational research in Newfoundland, the politics of education in Newfoundland, the school and opportunity, gender inequities in education, and denominationalism in education. Over the years as well, individual issues of The Morning Watch have been devoted either totally or partially to specific themes, examples being "Theses, Reports and Documents" (Fall 1987), "Science Education" (Winter 1992), and "Field Studies" (Fall 1995). At the same time, the periodical began publishing submissions from personnel in the Newfoundland school system, thus attempting to enrich its content as well as to serve as a bridge between the Faculty of Education and a major constituency it serves.
In the course of its history, The Morning Watch
has broadened
its original emphasis on social and cultural issues to include a treatment
of more varied aspects of education, including professional, curricular,
and administrative concerns. It remains, however, an important vehicle
for disseminating the findings of Newfoundland-based research conducted
both within and outside the Faculty of Education and for discussing contemporary
educational issues in the province. The rich variety of the papers published
would not have been possible without the willing contributions of many
individuals quite diverse in terms of training, career, and
perspective.
The publication of The Morning Watch has been supported most generously by a series of Deans in the Faculty of Education. Dr. George Hickman was the first to provide financial support, with further funding made available by Dr. George Ivany, Professor Brose Paddock, Dr. Leslie Karagianis, Dr. Bob Crocker, and Dr. Alice Collins (in her capacity as Acting Dean). At present, Dr. Terry Piper continues to fund the publication, despite the severe financial constraints faced by the Faculty. Such constraints, of course, have led to a shift to electronic publication of The Morning Watch but, while the traditional print copies are no longer available, the Web certainly has the advantage of wider and faster dissemination. It is anticipated that The Morning Watch will continue in at least its electronic form.
The editors wish to thank everyone who has contributed to the publication of The Morning Watch over the twenty-five years of its existence. Included here are those who have rendered financial support as well as those who have submitted papers. It is necessary to acknowledge, too, the invaluable assistance provided by a large number of staff both in the university's Printing Services centre and in the General Office of the G.A. Hickman Building. The supportive comments of numerous people within the Faculty of Education and the educational system in general are also greatly appreciated.
Ishmael J. Baksh and Amarjit Singh
Co-Editors