NRS-20953 | School and teacher registers

This series comprises a number of bound volumes that contain the names of government schools in New South Wales and the teachers that were appointed to them.The volumes record the name of the school, nearest postal town, name of teacher (including successive teachers), date of appointment and, where applicable, details of transfer to another school.The volumes are arranged according to the types of government schools that were in operation at the time, with most of the volumes divided into relevant sections. These include Public, Provisional, Half-Time, House to House, Evening Public, and Superior Schools. (1)  Within each section, the schools are generally listed in alphabetical order, except in the 'House to House' section of the volume 'Schools Other Than Public Schools', which has no alphabetical order at all. Additional entries have also been added to the end of some sections and these are therefore out of alphabetical order.The volumes are arranged as follows: Public Schools Book 1 - divided into Public, Provisional and Half-Time Schools Public Schools Book 2 - has a list of Superior Schools at the front followed by Public Schools Public Schools Book 3 - only contains the names of Public Schools Schools Other Than Public Schools - divided into Provisional, Half-Time, House to House, and Evening Public Schools. It does not contain information about private or denominational schools. Non Public Schools Book II - follows on from the volume above and is divided in the same way.Many schools changed their classification over time, mainly due to population fluctuations. (2) Where the school changed type, the school name is crossed out and details are provided about the new type of school and the date effective. The school is then listed in the corresponding volume and section for its new school type. Additionally, where a school was Half-Time with another school, the name of the second school is usually listed immediately below it.For example, Bigga Public School began as a Provisional school in 1884. It is listed in 'Public Schools Book 1' in the Provisional Schools section. In 1888 it changed to a Half-Time school, before being reinstated as a Provisional school at the beginning of 1891. There is a listing in the Provisional section of 'Non Public Schools Book II' that indicates that it was a Half-Time school and its partner school was Eurangarra. In May 1894 the school was scaled back to a House to House School, but by November of the same year it was a Half-Time School with Memundie. Both of these entries can be found in the relevant sections of 'Schools Other Than Public Schools'. Finally, in 1902 Bigga became a Public School and is recorded in 'Public Schools Book 3'.Thus, for a comprehensive chronology of a school and its teachers, the volumes should be read in conjunction with each other based on the status of that school at various times.Endnotes1. Department of Education and Communities, Government schools of New South Wales from 1848 - Glossary, http://www.governmentschools.det.nsw.edu.au/ (accessed 9 December 2015).2. Department of Education and Communities, Government schools of New South Wales from 1848 - Early History, http://www.governmentschools.det.nsw.edu.au/ (accessed 9 December 2015).