NRS-20343 | Visitors Book [Newcastle Girls' High School]

The series from Newcastle Girls' High School is represented by a single volume, divided in to four columns for date, name and  address with the last column left blank. This volume covers the periods from 1957 to 1974. The title page suggests that this book was presented to the school by the ex- students union in appreciation of a past teachers service from 1934-1955.Its seems to have been used to record the visits of school inspectors, visiting officials from other educational institutes and general visitors including competing debating teams, army officials and newspaper reporters. Some of the most interesting visitors noted include the Nigerian Minister for Education and a delegate for the Indonesian embassy. There is no record of visiting clergymen on a regular basis within this book so you may assume they had a separate register to record visits relating to religious instruction. This book is in excellent physical condition.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. 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. The remarks usually record the purpose of the visit, such as religious instruction, 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.