NRS-19011 | Visitors book [St Marys Public School]

Full description

The Public Schools Act authorised special religious instruction by visiting clergymen and their delegates (Public Schools Act, 1866, s.19). 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, 27 February 1867, s. 86)

The Visitors Book was used to record persons who attended school, other than teachers or students.  Religious instructors were the main users of the Book, however parliamentarians and even members of the public could attend the school and when doing so, completed an entry in the Visitors Book.  The pages have three columns - Date, name and Remarks.  The remarks usually covered 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. Visitors remarked on the state of the school and the state of education at the school.  The 1891 to 1901 Book at St Marys Public School includes several notable visitors, from a period when the land around South Creek remained in the hands of descendants of the original grantees - a Sydney King, descended from Governor King, and a Philip Macarthur Onslow, descended from John Macarthur, are among the visitors who comment favourably on the school. For conservation purposes the 1891 - 1901 volume has been re-housed as single pages.