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THE EARLY YEARS – ELEMENTARY TO MUNICIPAL
"The future of the nation requires the light and guidance of a generally cultivated and refined mental power".
So wrote Sir J. Kay Shuttleworth in 1886. It was this attitude which led to the passing of Forster's Education Act in 1870, the first major step in realising the ideal of education for the masses. It was the execution of this attitude which was to generate success in the Greengate Street Building.
The next major step in educational legislation came in 1902, which encouraged the provision of 'Post Primary' education by local authorities, a provision which Oldham had made before 1902.
G.M. Handley took up his first teaching post in 1889 at the Waterloo School, Hardy Street, which was in the process of changing from a full-time Elementary School to a Higher Grade School. There became, therefore, the need for an Elementary school in the area and so, on June l0th, 1899, approval was given to the ground plan bordered by Harmony, Greengate, Churchill and Waterloo Streets.
The architect, Richard Holt, of Liverpool, then produced plans and architect's drawings of the new school. Headed the 'Waterloo Board School', these plans received final approval of the Board on December 15th. 1900. Deleted from the original scheme was the caretaker's house, which had to wait a further seven years before approval was granted.
In August 1901, the Rev. Canon Rountree laid the foundation stone and on February 28th. 1903 the scene was set for the opening of the new Waterloo Board School, the first in a long line of names accorded to the building.
From approval to opening, it took twenty six months, representing a commendable feat of industry* The building cost £16,000 and was designed to accomodate 906 children, representing an initial average expenditure of £l7.l4.0 per child, a point made in the opening Speech.
Richard Holt's plans included recommended numbers of children per classroom, four of which were designed to hold classes of 60, two of 48, the remainder of 50. Easy to accomodate 906 children in classes of that size!
Each classroom contained an open fireplace. These still exist, hidden behind tables or blackboards, favourite collectors of waste paper, 'lost' exercise books and hymn books. The duties of the caretaker today still officially include the lighting of the classroom fires at 7:30 each morning.
The ground floor was the infant department, while the upper floor housed the Elementary School or 'mixed school'. Miss Stevenson was the Headmistress of the Infants, who strode in through the Harmony Street entrance to a rousing march played on the piano in the hall.
Mr. Fairnie was in charge of the Elementary School and thus became the first Headmaster of the Greengate Street building.
There is no evidence to suggest that the school ever housed its 906 capacity, even at this early date. That it did not is supported by the fact that the pupils of the Elementary School and those of the Municipal Secondary School, Hardy Street, exchanged schools in 1909, a major reason being that the Hardy Street school was overcrowded.
Mr. G.M. Handley had been appointed Principal of the Municipal Secondary School, Hardy Street in 1908, a post which he held conjointly with that of Principal of the Pupil Teacher's Centre at Gower Street.
On August 10th., 11th. and 12th. 1909, the removal of equipment to the Greengate Street Building began. The children enjoyed an extra weeks summer holiday, while the staff assembled on September 13th. to spend a week making final preparations for the re-assembly of the school. On September 20th. 1909 Mr. Handley's two posts became housed under one roof and the building took its second, and most impressive sounding title: 'The Municipal Secondary School and Pupil Teachers' Centre'. Thus began its long and illustrious life as a selective secondary school.
When this change had been agreed, it had also been approved to build a Science block. On September 20th. it was not complete, neither were the cloakrooms nor the toilets. That sounds familiar, but it was 1909 not 1978.
The Chemistry Laboratory was first used on October 13th. 1909, while the Physics Laboratory, on the ground floor, received its first class on November 4th.
At the opening of the new school, the total number of pupils on roll was 503 of whom 385 were members of the SecondarySchool. The remaining 118 were pupil teachers, of whom 96 were girls and 22 were boys.
The pupil teachers were aged between 16 and 19 and taught in other Oldham schools from Monday to Thursday, the first three months as auxiliary teachers, the rest of the year as closely-supervised class teachers. This suggests a system of benefit to the student and the Authority, providing valuable experience, in a more real situation than the present day teaching practices, while providing a source of very cheap teachers - in fact some pupil teachers paid the authority for the privilege, up to £5 a year.
Friday was spent in the Municipal Secondary School by the students, following an academic course. This was continued on Saturday mornings on some occasions. This was a three year course, at the end of which successful students went either directly into teaching or to Training College.
At this early stage, children could gain admission to the Secondary school at the age of ten and the school was divided between Lower School, 10 - 12 years, Upper School, 12 - 18 years and the Pupil Teachers' Centre, 16 - 18 years. The Upper and Lower divisions were abolished in 1914, while, from 1921, the youngest admissions were 11 year olds, although a number of children were admitted from Elementary Schools between 12 and 14 years of age.
In fact, in 1913 only 33% of the school's intake arrived at the age of 11 years. This increased the pressure under which staff and pupils were placed in order to achieve Matriculation in a shorter period of time, a point made in the Schools' Inspectors' Report in 1914.
A combination of the efforts of Mr. Handley and the Local Authority, together with economic conditions and social attitudes after the War, resulted in a distinct improvement in the situation, until, by 1922, 58% of the intake were 11 year olds. This percentage increased during the ensuing years, despite economic problems and without a lowering of standards.
Economic and social problems obviously exerted their influence over the school. Social attitudes led to the view that higher education was of obvious value to the boys, but less so to the girls, who should be at home helping to bring up the family, cleaning and running errands or working in the mill, bringing much needed money into the house.
At the Municipal School in 1913 a third of the children left at 14, while by 1922 this figure had risen to 42%. Despite national economic problems and Lancashire's, and Oldham's, heavy dependance upon the textile industry and allied trades, this ran counter to the trend in the rest of South Lancashire and North Cheshire.
Another aspect of the school's population habits which ran counter to those elsewhere in the region, concerned girl leavers. In 1922, 50% more girls than boys left at the age of 14. This feature was commented upon in the Inspectors' Report which concluded, in damning fashion, that 'Oldham parents take an unusual and most unfortunate view of their daughters' education.'
In 1920, 'At Home' was given as the 'Reason for Leaving' of 28 girls at the age of 14. Very few girls moved into the sixth form at this time, although more were being admitted as Student Teachers.
Economic considerations were of utmost importance to parents whose children were considering entering the Municipal, School, because unless the child gained a free scholarship, fees had to be paid.
In 1901 B. Seerbohn Rowntree calculated that to remain just above the poverty line in York, a family with three children would require a minimum income of 21/6 a week. Wages in Oldham were higher and the passage of ten years had resulted in further increases. Nonetheless, the cost of maintaining a child at the Municipal School must have strained many a family purse.
Admission to the school, other than by scholarship, involved a variety of expenses. In the Municipal's first year, rate-paying parents had to pay 6d. a week or 7/- a term, while parents who lived outside the Borough had to pay 9d. or 10/6 a term. These fees were increased to 10/6 and 15/- a term respectively in 1910, had risen to £2/2/0 a term by 1930 and in 1936 were further increased to 3 guineas a term.
Expenses for fee-paying pupils did not stop there. All text books and exercise books had to be bought from the school, and each child was expected to contribute 6d a week towards the upkeep of sports clubs and class libraries.
In 1910, Pupil Teachers who did not gain Bursaries or Student Teacherships, had to pay £5 a year. Fancy paying for the privilege of teaching!
Through the years to 1944, the local authority increased the number of awards available to pupils and students, thus decreasing the number of fee-paying pupils in the school.
While some pupils were paying fees, all staff were receiving salaries which were more favourable in comparison with industrial wages and incomes in other professions, than is the case to-day.
Mr. Handley, as Headmaster, was paid £400 p.a. in 1910, which was increased by £55 p.a. in 1919, when all teachers enjoyed an increase in salary. This compared with £85 p.a. on basic salary pre-1919 and £l40 p.a. after that date, although many teachers had been paid a war bonus of £20 p.a during the years of the war.
Hartley Bateson received £130 p.a. when he was appointed Head of English in 1914, which was increased to £265 upon his return to the school after war service, in 1919.
Mr. Joslin, as Principal Assistant Master, received £325 p.a. until, along with all teachers, his salary became regulated by the Burnham Committee from its inception in 1925.
An interesting example of what such an increase meant at that time, is provided by Mrs. Beeton. According to her calculations, Mr. Handley's increase would have financed a Cook and Housemaid, while Mr. Joslin should have been able to afford a general servant at least. The only servant my wife can afford is me!
The ground floor was the infant department, while the upper floor housed the Elementary School or 'mixed school'. Miss Stevenson was the Headmistress of the Infants, who strode in through the Harmony Street entrance to a rousing march played on the piano in the hall.
Mr. Fairnie was in charge of the Elementary School and thus became the first Headmaster of the Greengate Street building.
There is no evidence to suggest that the school ever housed its 906 capacity, even at this early date. That it did not is supported by the fact that the pupils of the Elementary School and those of the Municipal Secondary School, Hardy Street, exchanged schools in 1909, a major reason being that the Hardy Street school was overcrowded.
Mr. G.M. Handley had been appointed Principal of the Municipal Secondary School, Hardy Street in 1908, a post which he held conjointly with that of Principal of the Pupil Teacher's Centre at Gower Street.
On August 10th., 11th. and 12th. 1909, the removal of equipment to the Greengate Street Building began. The children enjoyed an extra weeks summer holiday, while the staff assembled on September 13th. to spend a week making final preparations for the re-assembly of the school. On September 20th. 1909 Mr. Handley's two posts became housed under one roof and the building took its second, and most impressive sounding title: 'The Municipal Secondary School and Pupil Teachers' Centre'. Thus began its long and illustrious life as a selective secondary school.
When this change had been agreed, it had also been approved to build a Science block. On September 20th. it was not complete, neither were the cloakrooms nor the toilets. That sounds familiar, but it was 1909 not 1978.
The Chemistry Laboratory was first used on October 13th. 1909, while the Physics Laboratory, on the ground floor, received its first class on November 4th.
At the opening of the new school, the total number of pupils on roll was 503 of whom 385 were members of the SecondarySchool. The remaining 118 were pupil teachers, of whom 96 were girls and 22 were boys.
The pupil teachers were aged between 16 and 19 and taught in other Oldham schools from Monday to Thursday, the first three months as auxiliary teachers, the rest of the year as closely-supervised class teachers. This suggests a system of benefit to the student and the Authority, providing valuable experience, in a more real situation than the present day teaching practices, while providing a source of very cheap teachers - in fact some pupil teachers paid the authority for the privilege, up to £5 a year.
Friday was spent in the Municipal Secondary School by the students, following an academic course. This was continued on Saturday mornings on some occasions. This was a three year course, at the end of which successful students went either directly into teaching or to Training College.
At this early stage, children could gain admission to the Secondary school at the age of ten and the school was divided between Lower School, 10 - 12 years, Upper School, 12 - 18 years and the Pupil Teachers' Centre, 16 - 18 years. The Upper and Lower divisions were abolished in 1914, while, from 1921, the youngest admissions were 11 year olds, although a number of children were admitted from Elementary Schools between 12 and 14 years of age.
In fact, in 1913 only 33% of the school's intake arrived at the age of 11 years. This increased the pressure under which staff and pupils were placed in order to achieve Matriculation in a shorter period of time, a point made in the Schools' Inspectors' Report in 1914.
A combination of the efforts of Mr. Handley and the Local Authority, together with economic conditions and social attitudes after the War, resulted in a distinct improvement in the situation, until, by 1922, 58% of the intake were 11 year olds. This percentage increased during the ensuing years, despite economic problems and without a lowering of standards.
Economic and social problems obviously exerted their influence over the school. Social attitudes led to the view that higher education was of obvious value to the boys, but less so to the girls, who should be at home helping to bring up the family, cleaning and running errands or working in the mill, bringing much needed money into the house.
At the Municipal School in 1913 a third of the children left at 14, while by 1922 this figure had risen to 42%. Despite national economic problems and Lancashire's, and Oldham's, heavy dependance upon the textile industry and allied trades, this ran counter to the trend in the rest of South Lancashire and North Cheshire.
Another aspect of the school's population habits which ran counter to those elsewhere in the region, concerned girl leavers. In 1922, 50% more girls than boys left at the age of 14. This feature was commented upon in the Inspectors' Report which concluded, in damning fashion, that 'Oldham parents take an unusual and most unfortunate view of their daughters' education.'
In 1920, 'At Home' was given as the 'Reason for Leaving' of 28 girls at the age of 14. Very few girls moved into the sixth form at this time, although more were being admitted as Student Teachers.
Economic considerations were of utmost importance to parents whose children were considering entering the Municipal, School, because unless the child gained a free scholarship, fees had to be paid.
In 1901 B. Seerbohn Rowntree calculated that to remain just above the poverty line in York, a family with three children would require a minimum income of 21/6 a week. Wages in Oldham were higher and the passage of ten years had resulted in further increases. Nonetheless, the cost of maintaining a child at the Municipal School must have strained many a family purse.
Admission to the school, other than by scholarship, involved a variety of expenses. In the Municipal's first year, rate-paying parents had to pay 6d. a week or 7/- a term, while parents who lived outside the Borough had to pay 9d. or 10/6 a term. These fees were increased to 10/6 and 15/- a term respectively in 1910, had risen to £2/2/0 a term by 1930 and in 1936 were further increased to 3 guineas a term.
Expenses for fee-paying pupils did not stop there. All text books and exercise books had to be bought from the school, and each child was expected to contribute 6d a week towards the upkeep of sports clubs and class libraries.
In 1910, Pupil Teachers who did not gain Bursaries or Student Teacherships, had to pay £5 a year. Fancy paying for the privilege of teaching!
Through the years to 1944, the local authority increased the number of awards available to pupils and students, thus decreasing the number of fee-paying pupils in the school.
While some pupils were paying fees, all staff were receiving salaries which were more favourable in comparison with industrial wages and incomes in other professions, than is the case to-day.
Mr. Handley, as Headmaster, was paid £400 p.a. in 1910, which was increased by £55 p.a. in 1919, when all teachers enjoyed an increase in salary. This compared with £85 p.a. on basic salary pre-1919 and £l40 p.a. after that date, although many teachers had been paid a war bonus of £20 p.a during the years of the war.
Hartley Bateson received £130 p.a. when he was appointed Head of English in 1914, which was increased to £265 upon his return to the school after war service, in 1919.
Mr. Joslin, as Principal Assistant Master, received £325 p.a. until, along with all teachers, his salary became regulated by the Burnham Committee from its inception in 1925.
An interesting example of what such an increase meant at that time, is provided by Mrs. Beeton. According to her calculations, Mr. Handley's increase would have financed a Cook and Housemaid, while Mr. Joslin should have been able to afford a general servant at least. The only servant my wife can afford is me!