School minutes (1843): school rules established.

Post date: Feb 28, 2013 10:51:51 PM

In Kent archives (reference P385/25/4) is the first minute book of Wateringbury National Schools. The following is a transcription of the first meeting in 1843 which established the school rules. The next set of minutes after this are at school minutes (1844).

The school and school house on Red Hill had been built by Matthias Lucas (1761 -1848, owner of Wateringbury Place) in exchange for land from the Dean and Chapter of Rochester on Cannon Heath together with the church vestry under which is his family vault. However, these arrangements were not properly perfected from a legal perspective causing problems in 1854.

Wateringbury National Schools

Minute Book 1843

At a meeting of the managers of the National Schools held at the vicarage Wateringbury on Monday December 4th 1843.

Present: Rev Henry Stevens

Mr. Woodbridge

Mr. White

Mr Allingham

Resolved,

That the vicar and churchwardens with five subscribers form the committee, & that the five subscribers be annually elected.

That the annual meeting of the Subscribers take place in the month of December when the accounts in the past year shall be audited & the committee appointed for the following year ensuing & such additions to or alterations made in the rules & regulations as the majority of such meeting shall determine.

That the committee meet on the first Monday in every month at 11 o’clock in the forenoon for conducting affairs of this School.

That the proceedings of every meeting of the committee be entered in a book kept for that purpose by the Secretary, & afterwards signed by the Chairman.

That the undermentioned rules of the Wateringbury National Schools be printed forthwith.

Rules of the Wateringbury National Schools

1. Parents desirous of having their children admitted into the School, must procure a recommendation from one of the annual subscribers. If the school should be full the children will be admitted as vacancies occur, in order of their application. No child will be admitted under five years of age.

2. Parents of children in the school shall pay two pence a week for each child & the money must be paid every Monday morning to the master or mistress.

3. If payments be omitted for two weeks such child shall be removed unless a satisfactory cause be given to the Committee. The weekly pence must also be paid whether the child be present or absent except in the case of sickness, of which sufficient proof shall be given.

4. Children must attend regularly & take their places immediately on entering the school at 9 o’clock, well-washed & combed & their clothes well mended.

5. The hours of attendance at school on weekdays (excepting on Saturday which will be a whole holiday) will be in the morning from 9 to 12 o’clock; & in the afternoon from 2 to 5 o’clock, from Lady Day to Michaelmas & from ½ past 1 to 4 o’clock from Michaelmas to Lady Day. The duty of every day to commence and end with prayer.

6. No child shall be absent at any time without first having obtained leave of the Master or Mistress, except in the case of sickness, when immediate notice must be given by the parents.

7. Every child that shall be absent without leave for one week will be suspended; and shall not be readmitted but by an order of the Committee or vicar.

8. The children are to assemble at the schools on Sunday morning at ½ past 9 o’clock, and in the afternoon at ¼ past 2 o’clock, & to attend both morning and evening service at the Parish Church.

9. Parents must wait on the Committee or the clergyman of the parish and make known their intentions when children are to be removed from the School.

10. The regular holidays will be five weeks at Harvest & Hopping time, one week at Whitsuntide and one week at Christmas

11. Such children as are unable to attend the daily school may attend on Sundays without any payment, on application to the clergyman of the parish.

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That the Master & Mistress recommended by the National society be appointed.

Henry Stevens, Chairman.