School minutes (1844): first master & mistress appointed

Post date: Mar 01, 2013 8:11:15 PM

Following the establishment in December 1843 of the School rules the following is a transcription of the first year's minutes of the governing body of the school. After the initial meetings at the vicarage the location was moved to the School Residence; two meetings were adjourned as there was no business; the vicar turned up to every meeting but others attendance was spasmodic and at one meeting only the vicar turned up. The Deboos, William and Emily were appointed the first teachers with tied accommodation; books, slates and other requirements were ordered from the SPCK ; insurance was arranged; security (chain and padlock for gate to school yard) seen to; and a teaching plan for girls discussed. George Newman's book "Wateringbury Revisited" edited by Dail Whiting (page 29) contains a story hinting at why William Deboos might have left, following a fight with a boy called Jack Sharp. The next set of minutes after this are at School minutes (1845-1848).

At the monthly meeting of the Committee of of the National schools, held at the Vicarage on Monday January 1 1844

Present: Messrs. Mills

Harris

Allingham

Rev H. Stevens³

White

Resolved

That the Master & Mistress sign the following agreement previously to having ????? of the school residence.

Mr. William and Emily Maria Deboos agree to quit the School residence at Wateringbury in the County of Kent at a month’s notice from the Committee of the national schools and also to give a month’s notice to the said Committee in case we desire to give up the situation of Master and Mistress.

William Deboos Witness Henry Stevens

Emily Deboos Witness James Woodbridge

At the monthly meeting of the Committee of of the National schools, held at the Vicarage on Monday February 5th 1844

Present Rev Henry Stevens

Messrs Woodbridge

Mills

Allingham

Resolved, that the necessary books, slates etc be procured from the S.P.C.K¹.

Henry Stevens Chairman

At the monthly meeting of the Committee of the National schools, held at the School Residence on Monday March 4th 1844

Present Rev Henry Stevens

Messrs Woodbridge

White

Allingham

Resolved, that the list of things (no2) wanted for the school be procured .

That the Ladies of the Parish be requested to act as visitors of the Girls School.

Henry Stevens Chairman

At the monthly meeting of the Committee of the National schools, held at the School Residence on Monday April 1st 1844

Present Rev Henry Stevens

Messrs Woodbridge

JB Jude

Resolved, that the Schools and School Residence be insured in the Kent Fire Office for the sum of £170 and the fitments & books for the sum of £30 making in all £200.

Henry Stevens Chairman

At the monthly meeting of the Committee of the National schools, held at the School Residence on Monday May 6^th 1844

Present Rev Henry Stevens

James Woodbridge

Paid Mr Deboos a quarter’s salary

Resolved, that rule 2² be strictly enforced.

Henry Stevens Chairman

At the monthly meeting of the Committee of the National schools, held at the School Residence on Monday June 3rd 1844

Present Rev Henry Stevens

Mr Allingham

Mr White

Resolved, that Miss Hursts’ plan of teaching the girls ?????? be tried, & if found practicable, be adopted.

Henry Stevens Chairman

At the monthly meeting of the Committee of the National schools, held at the School Residence on Monday July 1^st 1844

Present Rev Henry Stevens

Mr J.B. Jude

There being no business to transact the Meeting was adjoined to the next monthly meeting.

Henry Stevens Chairman

At the monthly meeting of the Committee of the National schools, held at the School Residence on Monday August 5th 1844

Present Rev Henry Stevens

Mr Allingham

Resolved, that the declaration of union of these schools with the national society be hung up in the Boys school room.

That the thanks of the committee be tendered to Miss Hurst for her present of a clock to the girls school.

Henry Stevens Chairman

At the monthly meeting of the Committee of the National schools, held at the School Residence on Monday August 5th 1844

Present Rev Henry Stevens

No other members of the committee being present the meeting was adjourned to the next monthly meeting.

Henry Stevens Chairman

At the monthly meeting of the Committee of the National schools, held at the School Residence on Monday September 2nd 1844

Present Rev Henry Stevens

Mr. Allingham

Resolved

That the holidays commence on Monday next and be continued for three weeks.

That a padlock & chain for the school yard gates be provided.

Henry Stevens Chairman

At the monthly meeting of the Committee of the National schools, held at the School Residence on Monday October 7th 1844

Present Rev Henry Stevens

James Woodbridge Esq.

Mr Mills

There being no business to transact the Meeting was adjoined to the next monthly meeting.

Henry Stevens Chairman

At the monthly meeting of the Committee of the National schools, held at the School Residence on Monday December 2^nd 1844

Present Rev Henry Stevens

James Woodbridge Esq.

The Accounts of the Treasurer were examined & found correct.

Resolved

That the annual meeting of the Subscribers be held on Monday December 30^th, when the accounts for the past year will be audited & the Committee appointed for the year ensuing.

Henry Stevens

At the Annual Meeting of the subscribers to the National Schools held at the School Residence on Monday 30^th December 1844.

Present W Cook, Esq.,

James Woodbridge, Esq.

Rev Henry Stevens

Mr Allingham

Mr Featherstone

Resolved that the following subscribers form the committee for the year 1845 , the Rev Robert Earle, S. Lancaster, Esq., Mr. J.B. Jude, Mr James Fremlin, Mr. Featherstone.

That the meetings of the Committee for the ensuing year be held quarterly not monthly and that the 3^rd February, 5^th May, the 4^th August & the 3^rd of November be days on which they are held.

That the School Master collect the annual subscriptions under the direction of the Treasurer.

Henry Stevens Chairman

Notes:

1. SPCK =Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. It history according to its own web-site "Throughout the 18th century SPCK was also the catalyst for the spectacular growth of the charity school movement. The Society provided advice and encouragement to local groups to help them set up, finance and run many hundreds of schools. Although it had no formal authority, SPCK was widely regarded as the chief point of reference for all charity schools, producing model sets of rules, and providing a curriculum and examples of good practice for teachers and trustees establishing new schools. It was also responsible for setting up similar schools in America.

SPCK was forward-thinking, and it provided equal education for boys and girls. Although laying a basic knowledge of the Bible and Christian doctrine was its initial aim, the Society encouraged the development of a broadly based curriculum to equip children for their lives. As well as basic literacy, numeracy and Biblical knowledge, some schools therefore taught needlework, woodwork and other working skills.

In 1811, at a meeting of the Society, the National Society was established to take over SPCK’s responsibilities in this area. A more formal structure of authority and leadership, dedicated solely to educational matters, was needed to provide further impetus to the expansion of education on a national basis.

SPCK remained active in the educational sphere as a publisher and supplier of school text books and also through grants to establish teacher training colleges, new church schools, and a schools inspectorate. "

2. Rule 2 was "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. Henry Stevens was vicar of Wateringbury from 1840 to 1877 and a founding member of Kent Archaeological Society, whose first meeting was in Mereworth Castle in 1857 and to whose magazine (second volume) he contributed an article on the Dumb Borsholder.