Tired of London, Tired of Life - A website about things to do in London

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15 May 2013

Book a summer course at City Lit

Established in the aftermath of the First World War, City Lit began life as the City Literary Institute, one of five literary institutes across London established by what was then London County Council to provide non-vocational adult education, and allow people with full-time jobs to take evening and other courses alongside their work. Today, we are told, the City Lit offers over 4,000 courses, and maintains a base at Keeley Street in Covent Garden, as well as three other sites in the area.



Though the other other Literary Institutes which were once found at Plumstead and Woolwich, Marylebone, Dalston, Peckham have sadly died, the City Lit continues, to the benefit of thousands who work in London and seek education after work. Though your author has perhaps been unnecessarily scathing recently about what the youngsters would probably describe as 'hipster' courses in things like cup-cake-baking and ukulele-playing, it is important not to dismiss the great work of the institution, the fine courses that do run, and the value of the scores of courses running at any one time to those who take them. Long may it continue.

For more, see http://www.citylit.ac.uk/

^Picture © wirewiping used under a Creative Commons license^

4 comments:

  1. Just like the old Mechanics' Institutes, it was a brilliant idea that the London County Council would provide non-vocational adult education to people who worked during the day. As long as the prices were kept down, people who might never have broadened their horizons in well conducted classes had to chance to have serious discussions about travel, books etc.

    Young people are far too precious about the over 50s.

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  2. Just a reminder that like "gateway drugs" there are "gateway courses" -- courses that get people through the doors of places like the City Lit, and give them the idea that they could tackle a serious course. This matters in many ways, for instance so many teenagers underperform at school and as adults they could now easily pick up useful qualifications. They may not have the confidence to walk in and sign up for a long course, but a day course could give them strength. A course in anything is very valuable if it gets immigrant women with poor English through the doors and make them feel this is a comfortable place to sign up for language lessons -- they and their children stand to benefit enormously.

    TL;DR: It is important that there are short and undemanding courses available as well as serious big-commitment academic ones.

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  3. Good points both. Thanks for your input.

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  4. Great job .. as per my view it is going to help those people who are passionate to learn new thing.

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