|
In
1863, on the subject of education, a strongly worded letter was published in the Manchester Examiner & Times regarding
children's absences from school. ".......I
believe from twenty years experience that the reason why the education of so many children is neglected is because parents, and
especially mothers, will not send them to school. Their idleness and neglect are the chief causes. I think it will be found that
there are schoolhouses sufficiently near every poor man's dwelling in Manchester, where an elementary education may be had for
next to nothing, and yet many of these schoolhouses are comparatively empty each day. My visitations amongst hundreds of parents
whose children ought to have been at school have shown me some if not all of the reasons why their children were not sent, and all
the reasons may be summed up into either 'they are wanted at home' or 'drunkenness and neglect squander all the earnings of the
family”.
*
* *
* * *
* * *
*
Updated daily by
Headmaster, Mr. John Phillips. 1866 Jan 29th. Sent after 40 boys who were absent this morning.
Parents are sadly to blame for keeping children at home. Mar 03rd. Fever prevalent. Sampson, a First Class boy, died of
fever. Mar 23rd. Attendance rather small today. The new railway will I
fear make a change for some time. Mar 28th. A Fast Day observed in Manchester on account of Cattle
Plague. Mar 30th. Many parents left district, taking children
away....will prove injurious to school. May 01st. Holiday - Belle Horse Day. Aug 17th. After one weeks holiday, returned to find the school
had been well whitewashed. Looks very nice and feels healthy. Sep 27th. An impudent beggar called and spoke very
disrespectfully because I wouldn’t relieve him. Oct 12th. One boy has gone to work scarcely six years old. Nov. St. Andrews Day. The whole school went to church in the
morning and had a half-holiday in the afternoon. 1867 Feb 08th. The Rev J Jackson called. Boys taught to say 'Good
Morning, sir' when he enters, and 'Good Day, sir' when he leaves. Feb 20th. Forbad any
boys bringing whiptops into the school, on pain of having some burned. Feb 21st. Have not
discovered any boys playing whiptop today. Apr 01st. Several of
the lads were successful in making their school-fellows April fools. Aug 19th. Gorton
Wakes. Poor attendance. 1868 Jan 09th. Tea Party
and distribution of prizes. 460 children took tea, 207 received prizes. The Boys School was filled in every part by anxious and
interested parents. Jul 13th. Small
school. Lads away in the country. Jul 14th. Hot day,
several lads caught napping. Jul 15th. Played bat
and ball with the boys. Jul 16th. Dismissed
school at 3-45. Unbearably hot. Jul 17th. Read 'The
Lucky Penny' to the boys. It pleased them much. Jul 28th. Almost too
hot to be in school. Aug 03rd. Awfully
hot today. Children very much fatigued. Very little work done. Aug 14th. Heat
persisted. Aug 20th. Heat very
oppressive. Sep 22nd. Great want of rain. Mills stopped. No work for parents,
children absent, cannot pay school pence. Nov 26th. Rev Woolcombe visited and showed the scholars a rod
used by the taskmasters in Egypt. 1869 Jun 11th. Read a story, sadly in want of something interesting. Jul........ Frequent entries of boys being sent home for slates
if they were without them, and of boys being punished severely for truantism, and damaging school walls etc. 1870 Christmas expenses for 350 children Currant Bread, £1 19s 08d. - Plain Bread, 9s 08d. - Groceries, £1 3s 8d. - Mrs Powell, 3s 9d. - Extra Bread, - 2s 6d. Butter, 6d. - Tea, 1s 10d. Feb 01st. I was absent all week in consequence of the death of my
dear child. Mar 01st. Shrove Tuesday. A beautiful day. Half holiday. Jul 18th. Very hot. Many boys absent. Aug 10th. Several boys ill from the heat. Oct 20th. Punished a boy for calling a gent names in the street. 1871 Jan 12th. Received notice from Education Aid Society that the
fees paid by them for children would be discontinued on March 25th owing to the election of a School Board. Numerous fever and smallpox outbreaks, and deaths resulting from,
are mentioned over the year. 1872 Mar 01st. Holiday - National Thanksgiving for the recovery of the
Prince of Wales. Apr 19th. Attendance’s improving owing to action of School
Board. Aug 09th. Attendance better but owing to great demand for lads of
10-13 years of age, most of my First Class have gone to work. Oct 11th. Great demand for boys for the Railway Yard. 1873 Apr 18th. Mr Phillips left after being headmaster for nine years. From the teachers and
children a most handsome present of a writing desk was given. Apr 28th. Mr J R Heron took over as headmaster. *
* *
* *
* *
* * * |