31st
May
1884
1884
| The girls who couldn't do sums | |||
| Teaching in most Victorian
schools was centred on the "Elementary
subjects" of reading, writing,
and arithmetic. Geography, history, grammar, and some others were classed as "Extra subjects", and needlework and knitting was usually taught to the girls and drawing to the boys. The verdict of the School Inspector on the teaching of various subjects was copied into the Log Book each year. This is part of the 1884 report on Brecon National Girl's School... |
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31st
May
1884 |
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"The Arithmetic in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth standards was with five exceptions a total failure, the 19 other girls had not a single sum worked out correctly. The Handwriting was also poor. The Elementary Subjects require the most careful attention this year". |
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The official
reports of the School Inspector were often critical of the work
of the teachers. But in turn the teachers would sometimes write about the problems they had in trying to get some of the less bright children to learn their lessons. The example below is from Senni School in 1894... |
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3rd
March
1893 |
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"Week
ending March 3rd : The boy William Price, admitted last week,
is in a deplorable state. He has not the slightest idea how to spell the
simplest word. He says he has never done any drawing and it appears to
me he has done very little of anything"...
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RDR
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