Pupils across Dundee will soon be able to take a fresh look at their city’s history thanks to The Courier.
The University of Dundee Press has published a new book exploring the city’s history, called Dundee: Renaissance to Enlightenment — and The Courier and D. C. Thomson & Co Ltd are donating a copy of the book to each school in Dundee.
Courier editor Bill Hutcheon and Professor Charles McKean from Dundee University visited Morgan Academy in Stobswell to deliver their copy of the book.
“The Courier is absolutely delighted to be associated with this project, giving pupils in Dundee a chance to learn about their city and discover facts I’m sure even their parents won’t know about, ” said Mr Hutcheon.
Professor McKean spent 10 years working on Dundee: Renaissance to Enlightenment. As well as editing all the material, he contributed three chapters.
He said it is an attempt to correct the false impressions about Dundee that many still hold.
“Much that has been written about Dundee has been wrong. It was the second city of Scotland for 300 years and a Baltic port.
“Even now you walk around the remnants of medieval Dundee — only Edinburgh still has buildings like Gardyne’s Land.
“If you give people their memory back, you give them their pride back.”
Morgan Academy deputy rector Fiona Low added, “There is so much about this city that people don’t know. It’s great that somebody has taken time to write this hidden history down.”
Each of Dundee’s 37 primaries, nine secondaries and both schools of the High School of Dundee will receive a copy of Dundee: Renaissance to Enlightenment.
Pupils from S1 and S6 helped Professor McKean and Mr Hutcheon display the books that will be distributed to Dundee’s schools.The Courier is offering Dundee: Renaissance to Enlightenment to readers at a special discounted price. To buy at a special price of £20 (rrp £25) with free postage and packing to all UK addresses call 01382 384413, email dup@dundee.ac.uk or visit www.dundee.ac.uk/dup and use the code DUP1500. Offer valid until April 30, 2010.