NRS-16910 | Visitors' Books [Laguna Public School]

The Public Instruction Act, 1866 authorised special religious instruction by visiting clergymen and their delegates (Public Schools Act, 1866, s. 19), and regulations under the Act authorised members of the public to visit schools during ‘the hours of secular instruction’ to observe teaching methods, teaching material and equipment (Regulations adopted by the Council of Education on 27 February 1867, s. 84-85). The regulations required every teacher to keep a visitors’ book ‘in which visitors may enter their names and if they think proper any remarks. Such remarks the Teachers are by no means to erase or alter.’ (Regulations … s. 86).The purpose of the visitors’ book was to create a record of the persons other than pupils or teachers who attended the school during business hours. Visitors’ books were divided into three columns – date, name and remarks. The remarks usually recorded the purpose of the visit which included religious instruction (by far the most usual purpose for visiting a school), school inspection, medical inspection, departmental officers visiting on business e.g. to inspect the buildings or equipment, and guest speakers. Occasionally visitors (particularly Inspectors) remarked briefly on the conduct or the ambience of the school.The overwhelming majority of signatures in this book are those of clergymen and church-workers visiting the school in order to provide religious instruction. Other regular signatories are the Inspectors of Schools on their periodic visits to the school, District School Counsellors (from 1947), Assistant Supervisors for Physical Education (from 1952), Council Health Inspectors, officers of the Child Welfare Department and, until 1937, the supervisors of the annual Primary Finals Examinations. Until 1929, and again in 1932, the Inspectors of Schools have added to their signatures a note of the number of pupils present on the day of inspection. Occasional visits are also made by Police Safety Lecturers, officers of the Public Works Department and representatives of the Commonwealth Bank. From 1928 or earlier until 1947, Teachers-in-Charge have signed the book on the occasion of their entering on duty or returning from leave, as has a Relieving Teacher in 1947.Signatures also appear of the visitors to a Red Cross function held at the school in May, 1941, to Education Week Open Days (“Parents’ Days”) held in 1954, 1955 and 1957, and to unidentified events in October, 1956 and May, 1957. Parties from Greater Cessnock Council visited the school in September, 1957 and May, 1958, on the former occasion coinciding with the school’s polio vaccinations and on the latter occasion including the Mayor.The final page of the volume has been adapted for use as a Time Book, with entries dated to February, 1939 and October, 1942.

《1866年公共教育法案》授权来访神职人员及其代表开展特殊宗教教学（《1866年公立学校法案》第19条），该法案下的条例授权公众可在‘世俗教学时段’进入学校，观察教学方法、教材及设备（教育委员会1867年2月27日通过的条例第84-85条）。

条例要求每位教师备存一本访客登记簿，‘访客可在此登记姓名，若认为合适亦可留下评论。教师绝不得删除或修改此类评论。’（上述条例第86条）。

访客登记簿的目的是记录营业时间内除学生或教师外进入学校的人员信息。登记簿分为三栏——日期、姓名及评论。评论通常记录来访目的，包括宗教教学（迄今为止最常见的来访目的）、学校检查、医疗检查、部门官员因公来访（如检查校舍或设备）及特邀演讲者。偶尔，访客（尤其是检查员）会简要评论学校的管理或氛围。

该登记簿的绝大多数签名来自为提供宗教教学而来访的神职人员及教会工作人员。其他常规签名者包括定期来访的学校检查员、地区学校辅导员（District School Counsellors，自1947年起）、体育助理督导（Assistant Supervisors for Physical Education，自1952年起）、议会卫生检查员、儿童福利部官员，以及1937年前的年度小学期末考试督导员。1929年及1932年，学校检查员会在签名旁注明检查当日的在校学生人数。偶尔还有警察安全讲师、公共工程部官员及联邦银行代表来访。自1928年或更早至1947年，主管教师（Teachers-in-Charge）会在到岗或休假返回时签名，1947年的一位代课教师（Relieving Teacher）也有此记录。

此外，1941年5月学校举办的红十字会活动、1954年、1955年及1957年的教育周开放日（“家长日”），以及1956年10月和1957年5月的未明确活动的访客也留有签名。大塞斯诺克议会代表团曾于1957年9月及1958年5月来访，前者恰逢学校开展脊髓灰质炎疫苗接种，后者则有市长同行。

该卷册的最后一页被改作考勤簿使用，记录日期至1939年2月及1942年10月。