NRS-16691 | Visitors' Books [Cessnock West 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.At Cessnock West Public School, separate Visitors’ Books were maintained by the several Departments into which the school was divided. The series is currently represented by the Infants’ Department Visitors’ Book for the years 1957-1965. In this volume the practice of indicating the end of each school term has been followed until the end of 1959. Up until this point in the record, the overwhelming majority of entries have been made by visiting clergy come to provide religious instruction. In October, 1959, however, the following note appears: ‘Visitors for Religious Instruction now sign Visitors’ Book at Head Master’s Office.’ Only six signatures – three being those of the District Inspector – appear between this point and the end of 1961, and none at all in 1962, but from the beginning of 1963 this volume is again used to record visitors for religious instruction, whose signatures during the next three years almost monopolise the record.

1866年《公共教育法》（Public Instruction Act, 1866）授权到访神职人员及其代表开展专项宗教教育，相关依据出自1866年《公立学校法》（Public Schools Act, 1866）第19条；该法配套细则允许公众于「世俗教育时段」到访学校，观摩教学方法、教学材料与教学设备（1867年2月27日教育委员会（Council of Education）通过的细则第84-85条）。上述细则要求每位教师必须留存访客登记簿（Visitors’ Book），「访客可在此登记簿签署姓名，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（Visitors’ Book）的功能为记录非学生、教师身份且于工作时段到访学校的人员信息。登记簿共设三栏：日期、姓名与评论。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缘由）、学校视察、医疗检查、部门官员因公到访（如视察校舍或教学设备）以及特邀演讲。偶尔访客（尤其是学校视察员（District Inspector））会简要评论学校的办学风貌或校园氛围。
塞斯诺克西公立学校（Cessnock West Public School）按多个学部划分，各学部均设有独立的访客登记簿（Visitors’ Book）。目前该档案系列留存的是1957年至1965年的幼儿部（Infants’ Department）访客登记簿（Visitors’ Book）。在1959年底之前，该登记簿始终沿用标注每学期结束的记录惯例，彼时绝大多数登记条目均由前来开展宗教教育的到访神职人员签署。但1959年10月出现了一则备注：「宗教教育访客现需在校长办公室（Head Master’s Office）签署访客登记簿（Visitors’ Book）」。在此之后至1961年底，仅留有六条签名记录，其中三条为地区学校视察员（District Inspector）的签名；1962年则全无任何登记。但自1963年起，该登记簿再次被用于记录宗教教育访客，在随后三年间，这类签名几乎占据了全部登记条目。