NRS-20665 | Visitors' Book [Federal Public School]

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 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.) 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.

访客登记簿（Visitors’ Book）的设立目的为记录工作日期间入校的非学生与非教职员工人员信息。1866年《公共教育法案》授权来访神职人员及其代表可开展专项宗教教育（Public Schools Act, 1866, 第19条）；同时该法案配套细则允许公众在“世俗教育时段”入校观摩教学方法、教材与教学设备（1867年2月27日教育委员会通过的细则第84-85条）。上述细则要求所有教师必须留存访客登记簿，规定“访客可在此登记姓名，若认为合适亦可填写留言；教师绝对不得删除或修改此类留言”（细则第86条）。访客登记簿共设三栏，分别为日期、姓名与留言栏。留言内容通常记录访客入校目的，主要包括：宗教教育（目前为最常见的入校动因）、学校视察、医疗检查、政府部门公务到访（如检查校舍或教学设备）以及特邀演讲嘉宾来访。部分访客（尤以视察员为甚）会简要评价学校的办学风貌与校园氛围。