NRS-16749 | Visitors' Book [Dangarfield 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.

The series from Dangarfield Public School is represented by a single volume, covering the years from the school’s re-opening in 1958 until its final closure in 1965. During the period down to May, 1963, the majority of visitors are clergy come to provide religious instruction; however, visitors to the school’s Empire Day celebrations also feature prominently until 1964. An extra page has been tipped into the volume, and bears the entries for the period May, 1963 – May, 1964. The reason for this is not apparent. A change comes over the record at this point, however, some part of which may possibly be connected with the arrival of a new teacher in the course of the year 1964 [1]: only one visiting clergyman has signed between May, 1963 and November, 1965, and no observation of Empire Day is indicated in 1965, but that year for the first time there is mention made of Anzac Day. Moreover, Education Week visitors have signed the book in 1963, 1964 and 1965. The last entries in the volume were made on the occasion of a Decimal Currency Night held in November, 1965.

[1] Observation Book (1/8901), Report for 1964.