NRS-16793 | Visitors' Book [Gangat 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 Gangat Public School consists of a single volume, which covers the entire period of the school’s operation from its opening in 1931 until its closure in 1967. The majority of entries are made by clergy visiting the school in order to provide religious instruction. Other visitors include the Inspector of Schools on his regular visits of inspection, occasional guest speakers, and members of the public attending school events. Amongst the last may be counted those who signed the book on the occasions of the Centenary of Public Education in 1948, and Education Week in 1965, 1966 and 1967. A reference is made under “remarks” in 1935 to the school’s “new building,” and a large number of visitors recorded under the 19th of November in that year may, perhaps, have been guests at the opening.

A copy of the School Photograph for 1964 is now inserted inside the front cover of this volume.