NRS-16753 | Visitors' Book [Dartbrook 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 series from Dartbrook Public School [II] consists of a single volume. Until the end of 1958, the overwhelming majority of visitors who sign are clergy visiting for the purpose of bringing religious instruction to the pupils; no clergyman signs thereafter, and it is likely that a separate Visiting Clergy Book may have been maintained at the school during its later years. Visitors to the school’s Open Days, held during Education Week every August, are regularly recorded, as are visits by the Inspector, visiting speakers and public officials in various capacities.

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），而依据该法案制定的细则允许公众在「世俗教育时段」到访学校，观摩教学方法、教材及教学设备（1867年2月27日教育委员会通过的细则第84-85条）。该细则要求每位教师留存一本访客登记簿（visitors’ book），「访客可在此登记姓名，若认为合适亦可留下评论。教师绝对不得擦除或修改此类评论」（细则……第86条）。访客登记簿的设立目的是记录非学生与教师、且在工作日到访学校的人员信息。登记簿共设三栏：日期、姓名及评论栏。评论内容通常会记录到访目的，包括宗教教育（这是到访学校最常见的目的）、学校视察、医疗检查、部门官员因公到访（例如检查校舍或设备）以及特邀演讲者来访。偶尔访客（尤其是视察员）会简要评论学校的办学状况或校园氛围。达特布鲁克公立学校[II]的档案系列仅包含单卷册。截至1958年末，登记簿上签名的访客绝大多数为前来为学生开展宗教教育的神职人员；此后再无神职人员签名，推测该校在办学后期可能另行留存了单独的来访神职人员登记簿。该校每年八月教育周期间举办开放日，到访人员的信息均会被常规登记，视察员、特邀演讲者及各类身份的公职人员的到访记录亦留存其中。