WATERFORD CHURCH OF ENGLAND (MIXED) SCHOOL, 1915

Geoff Cordingley

Waterford School behind the War Memorial
Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies

January, 1915

5thRe-opened school after the holidays.  All children except one present.
6thThe Vicar visited.
7thThe school was inspected from 9.30 to 12 & from 1.30 to 2.15. by Mr. Shaw H.M.I’s Assistant.
12thThe Vicar visited & taught.
15thThree children have gone to live in London for a time.
18thAll children on books present except one.
22ndAttendance very good all the week, although there was a great deal of rain.
26thThe Vicar visited.
27thE.N.Wix, Esq. H.M.I. (retired) paid a friendly visit this afternoon.
29thThe Vicar visited.  Several children of the Infant’ class have been absent during the week with colds.

February, 1915

2ndThe Vicar visited & taught.
5thChecked the Registers & found them correct.   H.R.Humphreys.
5thThe attendance was much reduced this week owing to several children being absent with colds and influenza.

The Vicar visited.

8thAll children present to-day.
9thThe Vicar visited & taught.

The Assistant-teacher Miss Wightman was absent in the morning through illness.

10thMiss Wightman returned to school this morning but was not present in the afternoon.
11thMiss Wightman was away in the morning because of influenza.

The Vicar visited.

12thSchool as usual.   All children on the Registers made perfect attendance during the week.
15th    )I was absent because of illness.  School in
16th    )charge of Miss Wightman.
17thI returned to school.
19thThe Vicar visited & taught.
22ndThe Vicar visited.
23rdThe Vicar (the Rev. H.R. Humphreys) and Mrs. Humphreys who are leaving Hertford visited to wish us “Good-bye.”
25thThe School Attendance Officer visited.
26thDuring the past week several children have been absent through illness.
27thA Managers’ Meeting was held.

March, 1915

2ndAll children present except one boy who is still absent through illness.
8thAttendance smaller than usual through illness.

A half-holiday in the afternoon given fro good attendance during the preceding month.

9thThe Correspondent of the school visited in the morning.
12thAttendance still not good, because of two children being away from home, and two or three others having colds.
18thThe Attendance Officer visited.
19thSome children still absent because of illness.
22ndSchool as usual in the morning.  All children present except one, who is ill.

In the afternoon the Diocesan Inspector, the Rev. Basil Reay, visited & examined children in Religious Knowledge, from 2.30 to 4.10 p.m.

26thThe attendance was very good all the week.
31stThe school closed in the afternoon for the Easter holidays.

 

Report of Religious Instruction.

“There was evidence of good and reverent teaching throughout the school for which the children made a pleasing return.

In Class !. the Old and New Testaments were very well known: not only the text being known but the moral and practical lessons, while answering was general.  I was glad to see that the younger children answered better.

The Catechism had been more definitely explained and produced intelligent answering, but a few points need attention.

The Repetition was very well said and the written work was neat and accurate on the whole.

The Infants showed a very good knowledge of their work considering the number of young children.  I was particularly pleased with the answering in the Gospel story, while the explanation of the Creed and Church’s year was accurately known and the Repetition well said.

The good order and reverent tone are much to be commended.”

‘                                                                                                                               (Signed) Basil J.M. Reay

‘                                                                                                                                               Diocesan Inspector.

April, 1915

10thA Manager’s Meeting was held in the Schoolroom at 4.30 p.m.
13thRe-opened school.  All children on the books present.
14thOne boy who is nearly 14 years of age has gone to work on a farm.
15thThe new Vicar, the Rev. R.H. Sharpe visited.

The children attended a Lantern Lecture on the War in the evening.

17thAttendance very goos all the week.
22nd The Attendance Officer visited.
26thThe Attendance Officer visited.
28thThe Vicar visited & took Division I. to Catechism.
29thThe Vicar visited.

May, 1915

3rdMrs. R.A. Sharpe visted in the afternoon.
5thThe Attendance Officer visited.
7thAttendance good all the week.
10thThe Attendance Officer visited.
11thThe Vicar visited.
14thAnother boy over 12 years of age has gone to work at a farm.
19thThe Vicar visited & taught.

The Attendance Officer visited in the afternoon.

20thThree children absent through illness.
21stAttendance very good.
26thThe Attendance Officer visited.
28thThe Vicar visited in the afternoon.
31stThe Attendance Officer visited.

June, 1915

2ndThe Vicar visited & taught.
4thThe Vicar visited.

One child absent all the week suffering from a swollen knee.  All the other children attended quite regularly.

9thDr. Dunn, Assistant Medical Officer of Health visited the school at 9.30 a.m. and inspected five children.
10thThe Vicar visited.
14thThe Attendance Officer visited.
16thThe Vicar visited.
18thAttendance very good.  One child still absent with a swollen knee.
22ndThe District Nurse visited and examined all the children.
24thThe Attendance Officer visited.
30thSeveral of the younger children were absent in the afternoon owing to a thunderstorm.

July, 1915

1stThe Attendance Officer visited.
5thThree children absent through illness.
9thThe Attendance Officer visited.
14thThe Attendance Officer visited.
17thOne girl in Standard III. has been away from school for seven weeks, owing to paralysis in her leg.

The Rev. Arnold Mayhew, a former Vicar of Waterford, visited.

23rdThe Vicar visited and called the Register & found them correct.

A.R. Sharpe.

28thThe Annual School-treat was held at Goldings in the afternoon.
29thSchool as usual.  In the afternoon the school closed for the Harvest Holidays.

August, 1915

September, 1915

7thRe-opened school.  All children present except two – one who is away through illness, & the other who is still at the Herts Convalescent Home at St. Leonards.

Scheme for Instruction during the Year

ending July 31st /15

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Subjects                       Lower Division                         |           Upper Division

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Reading.       As many books as                                   |Selections from Geog.

‘                        possible                                                      |&  Historical Readers.

‘                        (general & continuous Readers.)        |Selections of Poetry.

‘                                                                                               |St. 7. 6. Some of Dickens’s

.                                                                                               |& Scott’s Work.

‘                                                                                               |St. 5. 4. One or two more general

‘                                                                                               |Readers.  Some

‘                                                                                               |continuous Readers.

—————————————————————————————————————————————-

History          Stories from Modern                               |St. 7. 6. General History

‘                        Eng. History                                                |of British Empire from

‘                        1485 to present time.)                             |1558 to Present time.

‘                                                                                                 |St. 5. 4. Chief events during

‘                                                                                                 |the Tudor, Stuart &

‘                                                                                                 |Hanoverian Period.

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Geography       St. 1. 2.   Geog. Definitions                   | Some knowledge of the

‘                             taught when possible by                    |British Empire, & of the

‘                            physical features of the                        |Parts of the World

‘                            neighbourhood.  Some                         |included in the War

‘                            knowledge of this country.                  |Area

‘                           St. 3. British Isles, chiefly                        |

‘                           of England & Wales.                                 |

‘                           Some knowledge of the                          |

‘                           people & conditions of life                      |

‘                           in other lands.                                             |

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Map.                  St. 1. 2. Clay, modelling                            |Sketch maps of parts

‘drawing. &c.   illustrations of Geographical                  |of the British Empire

‘                           Definitions, & of coast-line                      |& of parts of the War.

‘                           of England & Wales.                                    |Area.

‘                           St. 3. To draw a map                                   |

‘                           of Eng: & Wales showing                            |

‘                           chief physical features                                |

‘                           & counties.                                                      |

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Arithmetic        Scheme B                                                         |     Scheme B

—————————————————————————————————————————————-

Observation   St. I.  Thirty lessons                                        |Writing on local natural

& Nature Study         with Infants’ Class.                              |things.

lessons.            St. 2. 3.  A few lessons on                             |

‘                            “Nature.”                                                           |

 

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Hand craft       Girls.   Needlework and                                |Girls.  Needlework and

‘                           Knitting                                                               |Knitting.  Cutting out.

‘                                                                                                          |

‘                            Boys.  Clay-modelling                                    |Boys.  Clay-modelling

‘                                         Basket-making                                    |              Basket-making

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Home                                                                                                |A few practical hints on

Management.                                                                                 |home-life.

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Recitation        St. 1.   The Skylark.                                          |St. 6. 7.

‘                           “My doll.” (Kingsley)                                        |The Armada (Macauley)

‘                           The Mushroom Seller.                                    |Slection from Shakespeare’s

‘                            “Somebody’s Mother.”                                 |Henry VIII. (Wolsey & Cromwell

‘                                                                                                          |

‘                           St. 2. 3. 1. Common Things.                          |St. 5. 4.  The Armada.

‘                           2. Casabianca.                                                    |The Soldier’s dream.

‘                           3. The Ant & the Spider                                   |Selection from Shakespear’s

‘                           4. The idle Shepherd Boys.                            |King John (Arthur & Hubert.)

‘                                The Mariners of England.                          |The Charge of the Light

‘                                Kingsley “Farewell.”                                     |Brigade.

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September, 1915

8thThe Attendance Officer visited.
10thThe Attendance during the week was reduced by one child being away from home, & by three others being abseny through illness.
13thThe Attendance Officer visited.
15thDr. Dunn, Assistant Medical Officer of Health visited at 3.15 p.m. & examined four children.

A nurse also attended.

16A boy-scholar of 12 years of age, who has been to work for several weeks on a farm, died to-day of blood-poisoning.
17thAttendance much reduced during the past week owing to illness amongst the mothers of the children.
20thAttendance good, only one child absent.
21stThe District Nurse visited & examined Infants.
24thThe Attendance Officer visited.
27thThree children have gone with thier parents to the sea-side for a fortnight.
29thThe Attendance Officer visited.

October, 1915

4thThe Attendance Officer visited.

Two boys of Standards 3 and 1 have removed from this neighbourhood.

11thFive children’s names were removed from the books this morning; their parents have gone to live in some other parts of this county.

The Attendance Officer visited.

14thThe Vicar visited.
15thThe Vicar visited.
18thAnother child has removed from this village.

The Attendance Officer visited.

One child absent with a bad eye.

20thAll children, whose names are on the registers, were present to day.
21stMiss Iris Smith and Miss Barclay with some wounded soldiers visited and sold flags on behalf of the Red Cross Society.  nearly all the children bought one.
25thThe Vicar visited.

Re-admitted a girl who has been absent several months suffering from Infantile Paralysis

26thAdmitted four children, one of whom, a boy of 9 years of age, is unable tor ead, and one, a girl aged 11, is in the second Standard.
27thThe Attendance Officer visited.
29thAttendance good all the week.

November, 1915

1stThe Attendance Officer visited.
4thThe Vicar visited and examined the Upper Division in Religious Knowledge.  He called the Registers & found them correct.

A.H. Sharpe.

8thThe Attendance Officer visited.
12thThe Attendance was good during the past week.
15thThe Vicar visited in the afternoon.
16thThe District Nurse visited in the morning.  In the afternoon a half-holiday was given for good attendance , & for the boys belonging to the Choir to attedn at the Marriage Ceremony of Miss Marjory Smith.
17thA boy named Charles Hart of Standard III. fell on the ice just before morning School began & broke his leg.  He was taken at once to the Hertford County Hospital.
22ndThe Attendance Officer visited
24thThe children of this school have contributed 5s”6d to the “Overseas Club” for Christmas Gifts.
29thThe Vicar visited.  A boy of twelve years of age has gone to work on a farm.
30thThe Attendance Officer visited.

December, 1915

3rd  )The school was in charge of Miss Wightman
6th  ) for two days, because I was unable to be present through illness.  The Hon. Mrs. R.A. Smith visited.
7th The Vicar visited in the morning.
9thThe Vicar visited.   The Attendance Officer also visited.
10thThe Vicar visited.
11thA Managers’ Meeting was held to-day at 4 p.m.
13th The Vicar visited, also the Attendance Officer.  Miss Wightman was absent in the morning through illness, but was present in the afternoon.

Mr. & Mrs. Reginald Abel Smith visited in the morning.

23rd The School closed in the morning for the Christmas Holidays.
24thThe Honorable Mrs. R.A. Smith of Goldings kindly entertained the children and their mothers to a Christmas tree in the school-room, and presented the prizes won for good Attendance.

Prize list for good attendance during the Year ending May 31st 1915.

___________________________________________________________________________

The school was opened 418 times.

Children who made perfect attendance.

Elsie Farnham.    (Sixth year perfect attendance.

Grace Jennings.    Second ”         ”               “

Gertrude Hills.      Second ”         ”               “

Alice Nash.             Second ”        ”               “

Alfred Hart.       (Third year           ”             “

William Hart           Second ”        ”              “

Edward Wrangles.  Second year  ”           “

Children who did not miss more than 10 times.

William Nash         missed    1.

Arthur French            ”           2.

Evelyn Sharpe.          ”            2.

Doris Petts.                 ”            2.

Wilfrid Farnham.       ”            3

Charles Hart.             ”             7

Marjory Sharpe.        ”            8

Fanny French.           ”           10

Gertrude Wrangles.   ”           4.

Alice Farnham was presented with a Silver watch chain by the Hon. Mrs. R.A. Smith, & Alfred Hart received an extra prize from the Herts. County Council for three years’ perfect attendance..  In addition to the Book Prize, the Hon. Mrs. R.A. Smith gave a shilling to each child who had made perfect attendance.

 

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