The Frome Family History Group welcomed Sarah Villiers to their July meeting. Sarah gave a very amusing and enjoyable talk entitled “Learn ‘em Hard” about the history of village schooling in Somerset.
The audience participated with lots of reference to their own schooling and reminiscences from parents’ school days.
Sarah began by outlining the early history of education and the major milestones through the decades. Her information came from school log books and managers’ minute books where they have survived, and accounts of philanthropists and pioneers such as Hannah More 1745-1833 and Rev. John Poole 1770-1867.
Emphasis was of course on the three Rs – Reading Writing and Reckoning but with a fourth, probably the most important, Religion. Victorian schools were described with very amusing reference to the texts that children were given when learning to read. Examples of the three letter word texts for infants were “Do not sit on the sod” or “Let Sam sip the sap of red jam” Handwriting was probably more important than content of the writing and reckoning was complicated by the fact that children had to learn that in Somerset there were 24 poles to a rood not 22 as in most of the country. Sand was used for children to form their letters before being allowed a slate or pen and paper.
Life during Victorian times was very hard in rural Somerset and there are many accounts of children being sent home for not being dressed properly, or not having the required penny that was payable before 1880, when education became free and compulsory for all children up to the age of ten. The leaving age was gradually increased throughout the twentieth century.
Sarah finished her talk with the history of teacher training from monitors and pupil teachers to college education. It must be acknowledged that teachers in Victorian times had very little education themselves, as a pupil teacher could only expect to get an hour’s tuition from the Head Teacher each day. They were recruited from the age of 13 on completing their elementary education and began an apprenticeship of five years. Sarah was thanked for a most enjoyable evening and we were able to look at her books and documents from a time some of us could remember!
There is no meeting in August therefore our next event will be Mike Bolton talking about photography and family history on Tuesday 24th September. Family history advice sessions continue on the first Saturday in the month from 9.30am-11.30am in the library. Please book a place with the library staff.
