Doc Campbells Baker's Dozen of Things to See in Europe

Dr. George G. Campbell ( the Doc ) was a graduate of Mount Allison University and Columbia. He served as Principal of Sydney Academy from 1935 to 1968, the year I graduated. The Doc loved to teach and his favourite subject was History. As the school grew, his duties as Principal took up more of his time but he insisted on keeping in touch with the students by teaching one section of History. In 1965 I was in Grade 10 and was fortunate enough to have the Doc teach me The History of Civilization. He did this without a text book. There were no tests or exams, no pop quizes or long essays. The year was full of wonderful stories, field trips and unfettered imagination. The Doc loved architecture and taught History based on the buildings of each civilization. Our only assignment was to maintain a scrapbook on architecture and submit it at the end of the year. And this was in pre internet days!

No magazine was safe if there was a photo of a building in it. We scoured every possible for a photo or drawing of a building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright or his personal favourite, La Corbusier.  Visits to the doctor, the dentist and the barber grew exponentialy. I clearly remember the feeling of satisfaction when I had successfully acquired photos of Doric, Ionic and Corinthian columns, thereby completing Doc's troika of the foundations of architecture.
The Doc travelled in pre and post-war Europe and loved to regale us with stories of hiking Hadrian's Wall, the glories of Rome and the mysteries unearthed at Pompeii. He fooled us. We learned History in spite of ourselves and he instilled in each and every one of us a thirst for knowledge gained first hand. The Doc was ahead of his time. He was the best teacher I ever had. I dedicate this "journey of a thousand miles" to his memory.












. The British Museum --Elgin Marbles - Rosetta Stone                           Got it                  
2. Westminister Abbey                                                                                           Got it 
3. Hadrian's Wall                                                                                                    Need it
4. Stonehenge                                                                                                         Got it
5. Mont St Michel                                                                                                   Need it
6. The maze at Hampton Court Palace                                                             Got it
7. The Louvre                                                                                                           Need it
8. Florence - The Duomo - Giotto's Tower                                                      Need it
9. Venice - Doge's Palace                                                                                          Need it
10. Rome - The Colleseum  and the Forum                                                       Need it
11. Pompeii                                                                                                               Need it
12. The Acropolis                                                                                                      Need it
13. Anything designed by La Corbusier, #1 Notre Dame du Haut                Need it