| Description | 1/10/1908-11/12/1908
• Andrew Black. 61 Leslie Road. 3 December 1908. Letter to the School Board, requesting to be considered for a post of Second Master, detailing his qualifications and experience.
• James Campbell. Head Teacher, Marywell Street. 6 October 1908. Letter to the School Board advising that William Rae of 140 Wellington Road and awaiting instructions on how to proceed. For two years William had been coming to school with “vile smells about him,” consequently nobody wanted to sit next to him and the teacher’s job was made harder.
• Maria M. Ogilvie Gordon. Hon. Secretary, National Union of Women Workers. 3 October 1908. Letter to the School Board asking if it would be possible for some of their delegates, participating in the Conference in Aberdeen, 13-16 October 1908, to visit a “typical Board School (Elementary).”
• Ellen Crassweller. Head Teacher, Oral School for Deaf and Dumb, Beech Lodge School. Letter to the School Board advising that the pupil Nellie Dawson would benefit from attending her school. Miss Crassweller also wanted to know what to do about charging a fee.
• Frances Cameron. Language Teacher. 34 Charleston Place. Letter to the School Board including her testimonial from Charles McPherson, Rector Banff Academy.
• James Dawson. Assistant Master, Central School. 5 November 1908. A letter to the School Board requesting a transfer to another school as a Second Master. If no such transfer was available a salary increase instead was requested.
• Margaret D. Dickie. Teacher, Victoria Road School. 4 December 1908. Letter to the School Board, accompanied by a Doctor’s Certificate, requesting a transfer a her home address of 78 Stanley Street is too far away to go home for dinner.
• A. L. Dunbar, Supervisor of Manual Instruction, Grammar School. 9 December 1908. Letter to the School Board to advise that he had met with “Mr Harper representing the Insurance Company at Marywell Street School Workshop.” The sum of £7 had been agreed to cover the damage caused by a recent fire.
• Alexander Forbes. Head Teacher, Ruthrieston Public School. 14 October 1908. Letter to the School Board with “some notes on the transfer of Holburn pupils to Ruthrieston.” Mr Forbes bemoans the fact that parents are not appreciating the benefits of being in a school with access to “pure air” and they think the school is too remote.
• Alexander Forbes. Head Teacher, Ruthrieston Public School. 4 November 1908. Letter to the School Board regarding Albert Scott, who is being kept off school a whole day each fortnight to help his mother with washing. [Four notes from Mr James Scott, Albert’s father also attached].
• Alexander Forbes. Head Teacher, Ruthrieston Public School. 11 December 1908. Letter to the School Board providing a “street census” of where pupils who attend the school live.
• George Fenton. Teacher, 2 Loanhead Terrace. 24 November 1908. Letter to the School Board explaining he is very grateful for the honour of being on the leet for a Headship [school not detailed]. However, as he has only three hours, between closing day school and opening evening school, he cannot attend. He further adds that he hopes that the enclosed record as a teacher will be perused by them.
• William Hendry. Head Teacher, St Clement Public School. 24 October 1908. Detailed letter of response to the School Board regarding the complaint raised by a parent, Mrs Falconer, regarding her son who is not named. Mrs Falconer’s complaint is against two teachers, Miss Laing and Mr Robb, and against Mr Hendry himself. Mr Hendry refutes all allegations and describes Mrs Fenton as “nothing more or less than a nuisance.”
• John R. Jack. Head Teacher, Walker Road Public School. 11 December 1908. Reply to School Board regarding a complaint from a parent, Arch. Pratt, about the cookery teacher Miss Bruce. Although the parent complains about the number of strokes with a wooden spoon his daughter [unnamed] received, his main contention appears to be that she has been branded a “notorious liar.” Two letters, addressed to Mr Jack, from the parent dated 10 December 1809 [numbers transposed should be 1908] and 14 December 1908 are attached to Mr Jack’s letter.
• William Johnston. Second Master Broomhill School. 21 November 1908. Letter to the School Board in support of application for post of Head Teacher [of which school not detailed] providing information of his career to date.
• D. B. Lothian. Head Teacher, Sunnybank Public School. 26 November 1908. Letter to the School Board requesting replacement of a Pupil Teacher who worked in the Infant Department that had left. Mr Lothian provides details of the class numbers to illustrate the difficulties they are facing with being understaffed.
Room 1. 91 children with 2 teachers
Room 2. 77 children with 1 teacher
Room 3. 74 children with 1 teacher
Room 4. 70 children with 1 teacher
Room 5. 70 children with 1 teacher
• R. M. Littlejohn. Head Teacher, Causewayend Evening School. 3 November 1908. Letter to the School Board regarding William Anderson of 58 Castle Street. William had turned up at the evening school wishing to enrol but did not have a certificate of exemption which cost 4/-. William had been obliged to leave school early as his father was out of work and he did not have the 4/-. A scribbled note by G. Gall, at the bottom of the letter advises that Mr Littlejohn should not admit William until the 4/- is paid.
• John Mc Bain. Head Teacher, High School for Girls. 9 November 1908. Letter to the School Board about the proposed pipe organ in the school. The matter is in the School Board’s minutes but the letter provides greater detail regarding costs and organ builder etc.
• John McGregor. Head Teacher, Old Aberdeen Public School. 9 November 1908. Letter to the School Board proposing a change of boundaries for schools. In support of this he provides details of streets of residence and the breakdown of number of children, from these streets, attending Causewayend, Old Aberdeen and Sunnybank schools.
• William Ogilvie. Third Master Ashley Road Public School. 5 December 1908. Application for post of Second Master at Ashley Road Public School providing a detailed breakdown of qualifications.
• Helen A. Pirie. Teacher Causewayend Public School. 25 November 1908. Letter to the School Board requesting a transfer to King Street School. The reason for the request is that Ms Pirie had been teaching, for 7 years, “the weaker and consequently the more trying” children and wanted a change.
• Charles Reid. Teacher, Walker Road Public School. 2 December 1908. Letter to the School Board requesting promotion to position of Second Master. Mr Reid includes details of his qualifications and experience and also a testimonial from his Head Teacher, Mr John R. Jack.
• Will Robertson. Head Teacher, Skene Street Public School. Letters dated 1, 5 & 12 October 1908. Letters to the School Board advising of cases of Scarlet Fever in school.
Pupils Christina and Jane Reilly of 9 Short Loanings
Teacher Miss Ironside
• William Ross. Second Master Ashley Road Public School. 23 November 1908. Application for a position of Head Teacher providing details of his experience.
• H. F. Morland Simpson. Head Teacher, Aberdeen Grammar School. 16 October 1908. Letter to the School Board regarding Intermediate Certificates for Robert Snowie and John M. McKenzie. He also advised Charles Mann had explained his absence for the final oral exam and hoped he could be awarded a Leaving Certificate [letter of 1 December 1908 relating to the absence attached]. He also advises that James D. Smith had lost his Intermediate Certificate.
• H. F. Morland Simpson. Head Teacher, Aberdeen Grammar School. 20, 21, 23, 24 & 27 October 1908. A letter from Mr Simpson accompanied by three letters of complaint from the parents of infant pupil Alex Sands and a letter written by Miss Adam, Alex’s teacher. The parents complained that Alex had not been promoted to the next infant class and that in their opinion he was on the wrong reading book. Mr Simpson supports Miss Adams decision in his letter to the Board and writes that Mr Sands’ letters are “offensive and dictatorial.”
• I. L. Skea. Head Teacher, St Paul’s Street School. 5 October 1908. Letter to the School Board written from the address of 269 Great Western Road. Ms Skea’s letter is to tender her resignation for fifteen months hence. Ms Skea points out her entitlements under the Superannuation Scheme. • I. L. Skea. Head Teacher, St Paul’s Street School. 19 October 1908. Letter to the School Board expressing her outrage at having received a “blue sheet,” and intimating the Board needs to take some responsibility for the situation due to the “gentle dealing with the parents.”
• William Stewart. Head Teacher, Porthill Public School. 23 November 1908. Letter to the School Board asking if the City Constable had been instructed to send barefooted children home. Mr Stewart advised that being without shoes are not the worst of the problems for east end children. He further advised he had that day 32 children without boots. He strongly felt the children were better off in school boots or no boots.
• David Symonds. Head Teacher, Central Higher Grade Public School. 15 October and 22 October 1908. Letter to the School Board regarding the supply by Cocker & Sons of 200 specimens, per school, of twigs, leaves and sprays of foliage for Drawing and Nature Study.
• Charles Stewart. Head Teacher, Gordon’s College Evening School, 22 October 1908. Letter to the School Board providing justification for continued level of staffing and providing details to substantiate this.
• Elizabeth M. Urquhart. Broomhill Public School. 28 October 1908. Letter to School Board advising that the manual used in “The High School,” is the Elements of Modern Dressmaking (revised edition) by Miss Jeanette E. Davie. Price 2/-.
• A. G. Wallace. Head Teacher, Central Higher Grade Public School. 26 October 1908. Letter to the School Board regarding country children being required to pay school fees. The pupils Nelly S. Clark, Hilda A. Russell and Ranald Macdonald are highlighted.
• A. G. Wallace. Head Teacher, Central Higher Grade Public School. 30 October 1908. Seven page detailed Head Master’s Annual Report 1907-1908.
• A. G. Wallace. Head Teacher, Central Higher Grade Public School. 3 December 1908. Letter to the School Board regarding a female pupil called M. A. Jessiman whose father had been in frequent contact regarding presenting his daughter for the Intermediate Certificate. The father had now involved his Minister, but in the school’s assessment the girl was hard working but had no “native ability.”
• A. G. Wallace. Head Teacher, Central Higher Grade Public School. 7 & 9 December 1908. Comprehensive list of pupils’ names and addresses of pupils regarded eligible for bursaries.
• Helen Wishart. Teacher, Victoria Road School. 21 November 1908. Transfer request from Victoria Road School to a school nearer her home at 24 Esslemont Avenue due to bad health and a desire to get home during the dinner hour.
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