Joint Services School for Linguists facts for kids

The Joint Services School for Linguists (JSSL) was a special school started in 1951. The British armed forces created it to teach languages, mostly Russian, to young people doing National Service. National Service was a time when young men had to join the military for a period. The JSSL helped train them to be interpreters and intelligence officers.

The school was very important during the Cold War and the Korean War. These were times when understanding other languages was key for national safety. The JSSL closed in 1960 when National Service ended.

Where They Learned Languages

The JSSL had different locations over time.

Early Locations

Two of the first JSSL sites opened in September 1951. One was at Walker Lines in Bodmin, Cornwall. The other was in Coulsdon, near Croydon. The Coulsdon site closed in 1954, and the Bodmin site closed in 1956.

Later Locations

In the early 1960s, the school moved to RAF Tangmere near Chichester in Sussex. At this new location, they taught more languages. Besides Russian, students could also learn Mandarin, Polish, and Czech.

How They Taught Languages

The JSSL had a very strict way of teaching. It was one of the first schools to use intensive language training. This meant students spent eight hours a day, five days a week, learning with teachers. They also had lots of homework after school hours.

Learning Methods

Classes started with lessons on Russian grammar. Then, students worked in small groups for practice. They often did timed dictation exercises, which means writing down what they heard. Later courses even started using tape recorders to help with learning. The school used a special "JSSL Training Manual" and long lists of vocabulary words.

Tests and Challenges

Students had tough weekly tests. If a student failed two tests in a row, they could be removed from the course. But not many students failed. This might be because failing meant they would be sent to less fun military jobs!

Who Taught the Students

The Russian teachers at JSSL were a mix of people. Some were "White Russian" émigrés, meaning they had left Russia after the Russian Civil War. Others were Soviet defectors who had left the Soviet Union. These teachers were carefully checked before they could teach.

Some teachers were quite interesting! There was an old "colonel of cavalry" with a wooden leg. He said he lost his leg fighting against the "Reds" (Communists) in the Russian Civil War. Another teacher was a mysterious "Countess" who always wore black. She said she was "in permanent mourning" for the Russian tsar and his family.

Here's a look at the teaching staff at Bodmin:

A very important person on the teaching staff was Professor Elizabeth Hill. She was the director of the JSSL for its entire time.

Books and Tools Used

One main textbook was the Anna H Semeonoff Grammar, often called Semyonova. Other materials included long vocabulary lists and reading books like Ordinary People. They also used a textbook called Passages for Translation. Sometimes, they even read real Russian books like Crime And Punishment.

Finishing the Course

Students worked hard because they wanted to avoid regular military training. Also, they didn't want to be sent back to their original military units if they failed. Many students who finished the JSSL course chose to take a special exam in Russian, called the GCE 'A' level. Many of them passed!

Famous Students and What They Did Next

About 6,000 people trained at the JSSL. Many of them used their language skills in their later lives. They worked in translation, business, education, and cultural jobs.

Well-Known Alumni

Some famous people who went to JSSL include:

• Eddie George, who later became the head of the Bank of England.
• Michael Frayn, a famous writer of plays and novels.
• Alan Bennett, an actor and writer.
• Dennis Potter, a well-known writer for TV.
• Sir Peter Hall, who directed the Royal National Theatre.

John Harvey-Jones, a famous business leader, also took an early version of the JSSL course in 1945.

Impact on Students

One former student, D. M. Thomas, said that the school did more than just create military linguists. He believed it also helped a generation of young Britons to have kind and respectful feelings for Russia. He meant the "eternal Russia" of great writers like Tolstoy, Pushkin, and Pasternak.

Many JSSL students went on to have successful careers in universities. These include:

• John Fennell, who became a Professor of Russian at the University of Oxford.
• Tony Stokes, who became a Professor of Russian at the University of Cambridge.
• Gerry Smith, who became a Professor of Russian at the University of Oxford.
• Ronald Hingley, who managed a JSSL branch in London. He later became an expert on the writer Anton Chekhov at the University of Oxford.
• Paul Foote, who became a Fellow at Queen's College, Oxford, and an expert on 18th-century Russia.

See also

• British military history
• Defense Language Institute
• Intelligence (information gathering)