British Girl's School, Downton
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The school was established in 1847 at the western end of the Borough in an old non-conformist chapel, now part of Garage at the Headlands. The children came from the families of non-conformists in Downton and local hamlets and would have paid 1d (about 0.4p) per week for their schooling.
School log books survive from 1866 and provide some useful information. Apart from the standard reading, writing and arithmetic, which included spelling, grammar, recitation and dictation, there were many other lessons given from the 1860s to the 1890s. History included the Ancient Britons [Celtic people] and their customs before the landing of Julius Caesar and the life and activities of Alfred the Great. Geography included lessons on such diverse subjects as the mountains of Palestine and political divisions of Scotland. Physical instruction and drill must have been enlivened from 1896 because a piano was received then to provide a musical accompaniment.
School log books survive from 1866 and provide some useful information. Apart from the standard reading, writing and arithmetic, which included spelling, grammar, recitation and dictation, there were many other lessons given from the 1860s to the 1890s. History included the Ancient Britons [Celtic people] and their customs before the landing of Julius Caesar and the life and activities of Alfred the Great. Geography included lessons on such diverse subjects as the mountains of Palestine and political divisions of Scotland. Physical instruction and drill must have been enlivened from 1896 because a piano was received then to provide a musical accompaniment.
Quite an emphasis was placed on needlework with the girls making many things. In 1866 the girls hemmed and stitched ten towels for Miss Kemp-Welch, the School Manager, and in October that year the 4th Standard was 'much excited' because Miss Kemp-Welch had offered a present to any of them who could knit a pair of stockings before Christmas. In 1872 each girl had a garment to make that would be shown as an example of her work when the school was inspected. The classes also had object lessons in such subjects as colour, the eagle, India rubber, loaf sugar and the meaning of solubility and fusibility, which was learned by dissolving and heating sugar.
School holidays were; two weeks at Christmas, two weeks at Easter and four to five weeks Harvest Holiday in August and early September. The school also kept a Coronation Day holiday at the end of June. Other full and half day holidays were given on special occasions including one in 1889 when the older girls formed part of a procession at the funeral of Miss Kemp-Welch. There were many other reasons why children were not always able to attend school. One of these was the weather, particularly when the children were young or had to walk long distances to school. Wet weather caused flooding and in February 1866 the children had to wade to school, in March 1867 floods prevented them reaching school, in January 1877 several children could not get out of their houses, which were surrounded by water, while in February 1883 the school was closed for a week as all the village between the bridges was submerged. Snow could also cause problems, as in January 1881 when the school was closed because children could not leave their homes owing to the heavy snowfall.
Illnesses were often more serious and general than they are today. In 1866 there was typhoid fever in one home while in 1877 most of the infants and some older girls were suffering from measles and later scarletina and whooping cough were prevalent that year. In February 1877 the school was closed for three weeks because of the scarletina epidemic. There was a further epidemic of measles in 1884, one family suffered from diphtheria in 1888, and in 1891 the school was closed for three weeks because of mumps and scarletina.
Other causes of absence were gleaning (picking up corn after the harvest, which the family then had ground and made into bread), not knowing the holidays were over (!), attendance at Lady Constance Nelson's wedding in 1870, going to see the athletics at the Agricultural College, and half the school taking time off to go to a circus. There was a recurring problem with the school monitors, older girls who taught the young ones, who were often absent themselves, found jobs and left or played with the children instead of teaching them.
Other causes of absence were gleaning (picking up corn after the harvest, which the family then had ground and made into bread), not knowing the holidays were over (!), attendance at Lady Constance Nelson's wedding in 1870, going to see the athletics at the Agricultural College, and half the school taking time off to go to a circus. There was a recurring problem with the school monitors, older girls who taught the young ones, who were often absent themselves, found jobs and left or played with the children instead of teaching them.
The quality of teaching can be judged from the H.M.I. reports, which are variable. In 1868 the children were excited about the forthcoming Inspectors' examination, possibly because they were given a half-day holiday on his visit, but he found that special attention should be given to arithmetic and more exercising should be introduced. In 1869 arithmetic again was bad (27 out of 44 failed) and the school grant was nearly withheld, but it was felt that three changes of mistresses in the year had not helped. By 1871 'the discipline is very good and so are the general attainments of the children up to the standards in which they were presented.' Grants were not paid though as the teacher was only provisionally certified and the attendance averaged over 60. The school improved during the 1870s although standards in arithmetic remained fairly poor. Discipline and order were poor in 1877 but improved greatly in 1878 and by 1880 arithmetic had also improved.
On 6 November 1867 the three houses adjoining the school were burned down and the school was only saved by the demolition of a 'hut room' and wooden fencing, before the fire could spread to the school. A wooden shed was constructed as temporary replacement for the 'hut room'. The main school consisted of two rooms, both of which were repaired in 1873. Children whose parents were in the workhouse of the Alderbury Union had their fees paid by the Union Guardians.
On 6 November 1867 the three houses adjoining the school were burned down and the school was only saved by the demolition of a 'hut room' and wooden fencing, before the fire could spread to the school. A wooden shed was constructed as temporary replacement for the 'hut room'. The main school consisted of two rooms, both of which were repaired in 1873. Children whose parents were in the workhouse of the Alderbury Union had their fees paid by the Union Guardians.
Concerns about the school building begin to appear in the H.M.I. reports from 1881. In that year 'The children seem to bear the oppressiveness of dingy and ill lighted rooms with surprising cheerfulness but at this time of year [November] additional windows are urgently needed and steps should also be taken to improve the squalid appearance of the walls.' By 1883, ' The aspect of the room has undergone a great change for the better .......' However in 1888 the report said of the infants' room, 'The walls of the room appear to be giving way in some places. They should be repaired and recoloured.' Two weeks later the school was closed for repairs and redecoration in the second half of May. In 1889 school fees were raised to 2d (about 0.8p) for the senior girls.
The 1890 report contains comments on the need for proper lavatories, the overcrowding of the two classrooms and the need for a new building. In September 1892 the infants' were moved out of the school to a room in South Lane but this was unsatisfactory according to the 1893 H.M.I. report which strongly emphasised the need for a new building. On 16 January 1894 the school was handed over to the School Board and plans drawn up for a new schoolroom. By 1895 a scheme for teaching domestic economy had been approved after the headmistress had taken a course of cookery lessons at the technical college in Trowbridge.
The 1890 report contains comments on the need for proper lavatories, the overcrowding of the two classrooms and the need for a new building. In September 1892 the infants' were moved out of the school to a room in South Lane but this was unsatisfactory according to the 1893 H.M.I. report which strongly emphasised the need for a new building. On 16 January 1894 the school was handed over to the School Board and plans drawn up for a new schoolroom. By 1895 a scheme for teaching domestic economy had been approved after the headmistress had taken a course of cookery lessons at the technical college in Trowbridge.
The new school was built in Gravel Close for the boys, girls and infants from the British School and the boys from the free school, who had been at the British Boys' School since 1890. On the afternoon of Wednesday 12 February 1896 the girls' school closed so that the children could attend the tea given by members of the Board for the opening of the new school. On Friday 14 February the girls carried their books to the new schoolroom and the furniture was moved on Saturday. The girls started in their new school on Monday 17 February 1896 and further information can be found under 'Gravel Close School'.