The most important subjects taught
in Victorian elementary schools were the old favourites of reading,
writing, and arithmetic.
Geography and history were also on the timetable in most cases, together
with drawing for the boys and sewing and knitting for the girls.
But instead of PT or games, many schools favoured marching, parading and
military drill because it combined
physical exercise with strict discipline.
This is part of the School Inspector's report on Newtown
National School in 1873...
10th October - "The children passed a good examination except that the Writing of the first Standard and the Writing and Arithmetic of the Second were very indifferent"...
