NRS-16691 | Visitors' Books [Cessnock West Public School]

Full description

The Public Instruction Act, 1866 authorised special religious instruction by visiting clergymen and their delegates (Public Schools Act, 1866, s. 19), and regulations under the Act authorised members of the public to visit schools during ‘the hours of secular instruction’ to observe teaching methods, teaching material and equipment (Regulations adopted by the Council of Education on 27 February 1867, s. 84-85). The regulations required every teacher to keep a visitors’ book ‘in which visitors may enter their names and if they think proper any remarks. Such remarks the Teachers are by no means to erase or alter.’ (Regulations … s. 86).

The purpose of the visitors’ book was to create a record of the persons other than pupils or teachers who attended the school during business hours. Visitors’ books were divided into three columns – date, name and remarks. The remarks usually recorded the purpose of the visit which included religious instruction (by far the most usual purpose for visiting a school), school inspection, medical inspection, departmental officers visiting on business e.g. to inspect the buildings or equipment, and guest speakers. Occasionally visitors (particularly Inspectors) remarked briefly on the conduct or the ambience of the school.

At Cessnock West Public School, separate Visitors’ Books were maintained by the several Departments into which the school was divided. The series is currently represented by the Infants’ Department Visitors’ Book for the years 1957-1965. In this volume the practice of indicating the end of each school term has been followed until the end of 1959. Up until this point in the record, the overwhelming majority of entries have been made by visiting clergy come to provide religious instruction. In October, 1959, however, the following note appears: ‘Visitors for Religious Instruction now sign Visitors’ Book at Head Master’s Office.’ Only six signatures – three being those of the District Inspector – appear between this point and the end of 1961, and none at all in 1962, but from the beginning of 1963 this volume is again used to record visitors for religious instruction, whose signatures during the next three years almost monopolise the record.