NRS-16509 | Visitors' Book [Baerami Creek Provisional/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 Visitors’ Book for Baerami Creek served two successive schools: the first Provisional School which operated from 1901 until 1917 [Agency no. 3615], and its successor [Agency no. 3616] which operated from 1920 until 1970, becoming a Public School in about 1943. The contents of the book now run from March, 1911 to May, 1917 and from July, 1920 to October, 1970, but as the pages of the volume are loose, it is possible that entries for the period 1901-1910 have been lost from the beginning of the book.

《1866年公共教育法》（Public Instruction Act, 1866）授权来访牧师及其代表开展专门宗教教育（《1866年公立学校法》（Public Schools Act, 1866）第19条）；依据该法制定的条例允许公众在“世俗教育时段”到访学校，观摩教学方法、教材与教学设备（1867年2月27日教育委员会（Council of Education）通过的条例第84-85条）。该条例要求每位教师必须留存访客登记簿（visitors’ book），"访客可在此登记姓名，若认为合适亦可留下评语，教师绝对不得擦除或修改此类评语"（同上条例第86条）。访客登记簿的设立目的是记录非学生或教师且在学校办公时段到访的人员信息。该登记簿共设三栏：日期、姓名与评语。评语通常记录到访事由，其中宗教教育是最常见的到访原因，此外还包括学校巡查、医疗检查、部门官员因公到访（如检查校舍或设备）以及特邀演讲等情形。少数访客（尤以巡查员为甚）会简要评述学校的管理状况或校园氛围。贝拉里溪访客登记簿（Visitors’ Book for Baerami Creek）先后服务于两所接续办学的学校：第一所为1901年至1917年运营的临时学校（Provisional School），档案编号为3615；其继任学校（档案编号3616）于1920年至1970年办学，并于1943年前后正式升格为公立学校（Public School）。该登记簿现存内容的时间跨度为1911年3月至1917年5月，以及1920年7月至1970年10月；但由于本册页面已散落，1901年至1910年的早期记录可能已从簿册起始部分遗失。