School minutes (1849-1851): subversive head

Post date: Mar 05, 2013 8:56:22 PM

At Kent archives (reference P385/25/4) are the minutes of the Committee of the National Schools. The ones for 1849 to 1851 are transcribed below. See also School Minutes (1845-48), School Minutes 1844 and School Rules (1843).

Summary: 1849 was a fairly quiet year with meetings concerned with ordering mundane items of supplies. 1850 also started quietly but then at the end of the year Stiles resigned as Master and Mistress. 1851 was to prove a tumultuous year: Thomas Garmson & Eliza Garmson were appointed (or "elected" according to the minutes) as Master and Mistress, the third couple since 1843, in March 1851 at a joint salary of £75 per annum. In April the committee defined those who were not poor and so subject to the higher weekly charge of 4^d as being anyone with a property with a rateable value greater than £10, and those living outside the parish were to be subject to higher charges still. The lists of supplies ordered in April and May provide interesting insights. But the new Master and Mistress must not have settled and in late May a " letter of Mr. Thomas Garmson to the vicar is so subversive of all discipline & due respect"; his resignation is sought but a compromise reached which delays the final rupture until November but when it comes it is evidently for what the committee regard as gross misconduct as he (with his wife and 4 children) leaves (both school and house) quickly but is paid £9 6s. 6d. representing 6 weeks of his 3 months notice. The committee decides that the next contract should only pay one week's pay in the event of gross misconduct. The year closes with the committee deciding to seek financial support from the Dean and Chapter of Rochester.

Numbers of pupils do not get mentioned in the minutes, but the 1851 census shows that in Wateringbury there were 235 children (total population 1448) whose "occupation" was classified as "scholar". Of these 9 were "scholars at home" (a small number of other children had their "occupation " left blank, presumably because they did not attend school which was not compulsory until until 1870). A further 25 children can be readily identified as boarders at two of the private schools operating in the village ( 7 boys aged between 10 and 13, born outside the immediate area but mainly in Kent, at Rev Robert Earle's school; 18 girls at Mary Mercer's school in Claremount house, aged between 9 and 17 from outside the immediate area but as well as from Kent from Surrey, Ireland, London and supporting 4 teaching staff including a French teacher). Of the remaining 201 some may have been at other private day schools and it includes 15 children aged 13 or 14 of whom some may have been in secondary education at Maidstone. Parents from other nearby parishes without schools clearly wanted to send their children to wateringbury and were accommodated although at a higher charge. It seems that a very large number of children must have attended Wateringbury school's 3 classes. Bagshaw's directory of 1847 (quoted by Dail Whiting) states that the school was attended by "about 120 children". It is probable that this was on the increase as population increased (1851 was the peak census year in Wateringbury) and as the consciousness of the need for education grew. The numbers of items ordered as supplies is difficult to interpret.

At a national level a parliamentary commission of inquiry set up in 1858 under the duke of Newcastle estimated that only 4.5% of children of school age were not attending school ( an estimate considered rather on low side) but with only one child in 20 from poorer classes receiving any sort of education after the age of 13.

Finances:The 1858 commission estimated the cost of education at 28s. to 30s. per child. Wateringbury's initial charge of 2d. per child over a 45 week year would have yielded only a quarter of this cost. When 4d. per week for children attending who were not from poor families was introduced this only covered half of the cost. Unfortunately although accounts for the schools were being prepared and approved each year, none appear to have survived but it does appear that the level. The £75 paid to the Master and Mistress plus a further £25 for the infants school mistress was more than covered by the subscriptions (£110 in 1853) and we know that in 1858 a capitation grant was being received as half of it is to go to the master and mistress.

1849

At the quarterly meeting of the Committee of the National Schools held at the school House on Wednesday Feb^r 7^th 1849.

Present

At the quarterly meeting of the Committee of the National Schools held at the school House on Wednesday May2nd 1849.

Present: Rev^d Henry Stevens

The following articles were ordered to be procured : 2 door mats 2 doz copy books, 500 slate pencils,??? Pencil cases.

Henry Stevens Chairman

At the quarterly meeting of the Committee of the National Schools held at the School House on Wednesday Aug^t 1 1849.

Present Rev^d H Stevens

The following articles were ordered to be procured: six of the ??? book, 3 doz copy books, 1 doz black lead pencils.

Henry Stevens Chairman

At the quarterly meeting of the Committee of the National Schools held at the School House on Wednesday Nov 7 1849.

Present Rev^d H Stevens

J^as Woodbridge, Esq.,

The following articles were ordered to be procured: 3 doz copy books, 6 yards of towelling.

Henry Stevens Chairman

At the Annual Meeting of the subscribers to the National and Infant Schools held at the School Residence on Friday Dec 28^th 1849

Present: Rev^d Henry Stevens

J^as Woodbridge, Esq.,

Mr. J.B. Jude

Mr. Featherstone

The Treasurers accounts having been examined & found correct

Resolved

That the following subscribers in addition to the vicar & churchwardens form the committee for the year 1850: Messrs woodbridge, Willcocks, Featherstone, James Fremlin & Gould.

That the meetings of the committee for the ensuing year be held at the school Residence on the first Wednesday in the months of Feb^y, May, Aug^t & Nov^r at 3 o’clock.

That an abstract of the cash account be annually printed.

Henry Stevens Chairman

1850

At the quarterly meeting of the Committee of the National and Infant Schools held at the School House on Wednesday Feb^y 6th 1850.

Present Rev^d H Stevens

Mr Featherstone

Mr J.B. Jude

Resolved , that the National and Infant Schools of this parish be united with the Canterbury Diocesan Board of Education

Henry Stevens Chairman

At the quarterly meeting of the Committee of the National and Infant Schools held at the School House on Wednesday May 1 1850.

Present

At the quarterly meeting of the Committee of the National and Infant Schools held at the School House on Wednesday August 7th 1850.

Present Rev^d Henry Stevens

Ordered to be procured three brooms for the use of the schools, also a box to hold the slates

Henry Stevens Chairman

At the quarterly meeting of the Committee of the National and Infant Schools held at the School House on Wednesday Nov 6th 1850.

Present

At the Annual Meeting of the subscribers to the National and Infant Schools held at the School Residence on Tuesday Dec 31st 1850

Present: Rev^d Henry Stevens

J^as Woodbridge, Esq.,

Messrs. J.B. Jude Churchwardens

White

The Treasurers accounts having been examined & found correct

Resolved

That the following subscribers in addition to the vicar & churchwardens form the committee for the year 1851: Messrs Woodbridge, S L Lancaster Lucas, Earle, Langridge & Goodwin.

That the meetings of the committee for the ensuing year be held at the School Residence on the first Wednesday in the months of Feb^y, May, Aug^t & Nov^r at 3 o’clock in the afternoon.

It having been signified to the subscribers that Mr & Mrs Stiles had made application for another situation without giving any notice to the vicar or committee

Resolved that the notice on both sides be extended to 3 months.

Henry Stevens Chairman

1851

At a special meeting of the School committee held at the school residence on Saturday March 1^st 1851

Present Rev^d Henry Stevens

J^as Woodbridge, Esq.,

Mr E. Goodwin

Resolved,

That the testimonial sent in by Mr & Mrs Garmson proving satisfactory they be elected Master & Mistress of the National schools at the salary of £75 provided that Dr Wastfield’s music testimonial is also approved of.

Henry Stevens Chairman

We Thomas Garmson & Eliza Garmson agree to quit the school Residence at three months notice from the committee of the national schools and also to give three months notice to the said committee in case we desire to relinquish the situation of Master & Mistress.

Wateringbury April 1^st 1851

Signed Tho^s Garmson

Eliza Garmson

Witness: James Woodbridge

At a special meeting of the School Committee held at the school residence on Saturday April 4th 1851

Present Rev^d Henry Stevens

J^as Woodbridge, Esq.,

Messrs J.B. Jude

Langridge

Goodwin

Resolved,

That all persons who are rated at £10 & upwards per annum in the parish books shall pay at the rate of 4^d per week for the education of each child in the National & Infant schools.

That all persons living out of the parish under the rating of £10 shall pay 4^d per week for one & 2^d for every additional child, but where the parents are rated at £10 & upwards they should pay 6d per week for each child.

That the secretary be requested to communicate the above resolution to the parties concerned.

That the following articles be ???? for the use of the schools: handles for desk drawers, form for writing desk, two pails, two stools, Two brooms, dusters and flannels, scrubbing brush, 2 door mats, two birch brooms, mop, the three chairs to be new bottomed.

Henry Stevens Chairman

At the quarterly meeting of the Committee of the National and Infant Schools held at the School House on Wednesday May 7th 1851.

Present Rev^d Henry Stevens

The following articles are required

For boys school: map of Europe, 1 doz bibles, 1 doz testaments, 50 Historical questions, 18 outlines of chronology, Dr Brewers guide to English History, 18 4^th book of Irish society, 3 doz tablecards, 18 blank music books.1 doz spelling books.

For girls school: ???? of cotton & thimbles, Easy hymns, 2 doz copy books, Copy ???Church catechism explanation ?? 161

Henry Stevens Chairman

Secretary & committees

At a special meeting of the Committee of the National & Infant Schools held at the Vicarage on Thursday May 22nd 1851

Present J^as Woodbridge, Esq.,in the chair

Rev^d Henry Stevens

Rev^d Rob^t Earle

Mr J.B. Jude

Langridge

Goodwin

Resolved,

That the letter of Mr. Thomas Garmson to the vicar is so subversive of all discipline & due respect , that his resignation with that of Mrs Garmson be accepted & that they be directed to give up possession of the Schools & residence on this day three months & that the secretary be requested to communicate to them the above resolution.

Resolved,

On the representations of the vicar that a modification of the resolution of 4^th April 1851 be made as follows

That all persons rated at £10 & upwards shall pay at the rate of 4d for one child & two pence for every other child per week in the National & Infants school respectively

Resolved that in future the rent of the garden be paid out of the School Fund

Resolved that the committee room be used as a Clap room when required.

J^as Woodbridge, Chairman.,

[in a different hand at the bottom of the above minute]

Note It was hoped by some of the committee that if Mr G. exhibited penitence for his letter to the vicar, he, the vicar w^d permit him to remain. This was done by Mr. G. & he was therefore permitted to remain – the vicar having obtained the sanction of the committee without calling a formal meeting.

At the quarterly meeting of the Committee of the National and Infant Schools held at the School House on Wednesday August 6th 1851.

Present Rev^d Henry Stevens

J^as Woodbridge, Esq.,

T. White

Resolved that 4 doz copy books, 200 pencils, spelling books, 1^st Book, ink, & alphabet be ordered for the schools

Henry Stevens Chairman

At the quarterly meeting of the Committee of the National and Infant Schools held at the School House on Friday November 7th 1851.

Present J^as Woodbridge, Esq. in the chair

Rev^d Henry Stevens

Langridge

Thos White

S. L. Lucas Esq.

Mr Garmson the School Master tendered his resignation which was accepted.

[separate page adhered to minute book]

We Tho & Eliza Garmson with our four children will leave the school house at 12 o’clock on Saturday the 15 inst on condition we receive £9 6s. 6d. from J^as Woodbridge, Esq.,

[signed] Thos Garmson

Witness

11^th November 1851 J^as Woodbridge,

At a special meeting of the Committee of the National & Infant Schools held at the Schools on Tuesday November 11th 1851

Present: J^as Woodbridge, Esq.,Chairman

Rev^d Henry Stevens

Messrs White

Goodwin

Rev^d R Earle

Resolved on the urgent application of Mr Garmson he is allowed to remain in the school house until Saturday the 15^th inst.

James Woodbridge Chairman

At a special meeting of the Committee held at the Vicarage on Thursday November 27th 1851

Present Rev^d Henry Stevens

J^as Woodbridge, Esq.,

Thos White Esq.

Mr Goodwin

Resolved that Mr & Mrs Joshua Allen be appointed Master & Mistress to the Wateringbury National Schools and that in addition to the regular agreement between the committee & the Master & Mistress the following be introduced

“In case of any gross misconduct the parties will have to resign at a week’s notice on payment only of the salary due up to the day of that notice

Henry Stevens Chairman

[standard agreement plus addition dated 24 December 1851 signed by Joshua and Jane Allen]

At the Annual Meeting of the subscribers to the National and Infant Schools held at the School Residence on Monday Dec 29th 1851

Present: Rev^d Henry Stevens

? Wilcocks

J B Jude

Featherstone

J^as Woodbridge, Esq.,

H M Gould

?? White

Ed^d Goodwin

The Treasurers accounts having been examined & found correct were allowed

Resolved, that the following subscribers in addition to the vicar and churchwardens form the committee for the year 1852: Messrs Woodbridge, Willcocks, Goodwin, Featherstone & Gould.

That the meetings of the committee for the ensuing year be held at the School Residence on the first Wednesday in the months of Feb^y, May, Aug^t & Nov^r at 3 o’clock in the afternoon.

That the copy books be sold to the children at 2d each.

Moved by Mr White & seconded by Mr J B Jude & carried that on account of the deficiency of subscriptions towards defraying the expenses of the National schools that application be made to the Dean and Chapter of Rochester for assistance, they having a very large interest in the parish.

Henry Stevens Chairman