| Description | 1/9/1900-20/11/1900
- J D Anderson, 6th Sep 1900. Ferryhill Public School. About 37% of Infant Department children migrate into Standard I classes.
- J D Anderson, 19th Sep 1900. Ferryhill Public School. Gives the numbers of boys and girls in the Standard V and VI classes.
- J D Anderson, 28th Sep 1900. Ferryhill Public School, head teacher. Enclosed £12 6s 1d in cash from the purse books.
- J D Anderson, 28th Sep 1900. Ferryhill Public School, head teacher. Asks if pupil teacher Miss Burnett’s name had been omitted from the pay list intentionally or if this was an oversight.
- J D Anderson, 4th Oct 1900. Ferryhill Public School, head teacher. Has an urgent need to requisition two call-whistles.
- J D Anderson, 5th Oct 1900. Ferryhill Public School. Children of Weak Intellect. Clarifies his understanding of the term (able to describe them as having mental faculties so impaired that they would each be termed an imbecile or fatuous) and states that by that definition there are no such students at his school.
- J D Anderson, 23rd Oct 1900. Ferryhill Public School. Sent Mr George Gaul the books received from the Broomhill School transfer students – gave them the books in use here in exchange. The cost of this came to £1 6s 4d.
- J D A, 26th Oct 1900. Ferryhill Public School, head teacher. Enclosed a cheque for fees (£14 12s 6d) and purse book cash (£2 13s 6d).
- J D Anderson, 13th Nov 1900. Ferryhill Public School. Provides the numbers of teachers and pupils within the school’s Infants’ Department. (4 rooms, 281 pupils, 4 teachers and 2 pupil teachers). Room 1 is too populous and between 20 to 30 pupils would need to be withdrawn if numbers increase. Notes a single pupil teacher split between 3 rooms is not effective. Miss Jansen [pupil teacher] is kept so busy in her room that she cannot help the others. Asks for another assistant.
- Jemima Anderson, 24th Sep 1900. Aulton House, University Road, Aberdeen. Asks for a transfer to a school nearer her address. Currently works at St. Paul Street School and has been there 3 years. She has obtained her parchment.
- John C Anderson, 10th Oct 1900. 75 Denwood Place, Aberdeen. Educational Institute of Scotland (Aberdeen Branch). This branch is considering forming a class for the instruction of teachers in Cardboard Modelling. Needs a local education body to guarantee funding – would Aberdeen do this? Have a teacher already in mind – Mr Crerar of Arbroath who was trained and certified at a technical institute in Leipzig and who has led a similar class at Leith.
- John C Anderson, 12th Nov 1900. 75 Desswood Place. Educational Institute of Scotland (Aberdeen Branch). Cardboard Modelling. Acknowledges and thanks the board for taking this class under its management [see letter 10th Oct 1900]. Will make prelim arrangements and give advice.
- M K Bain, 3rd Nov 1900. 336 Holburn Street, Aberdeen. Application for an increase in salary. Their salaries were to be fixed at £50 each after serving at Ashley Road for over 5 years. Bain has served over 7 years. Complains that she and Miss Cruickshank have not been paid for overtime work, something they are often called on to do, yet the surplus teachers receive higher rates of pay per pupil. Lists the various awards her pupils have gone on to achieve.
- James C Barnett, 7th Sep 1900. Middle Public School, head teacher. Migration to Standard I. On average over the last 3 years, 33% of pupils enter Standard I from the Infants’ Department.
- James C Barnett, 14th Sep 1900. Middle Public School, head teacher. Due to high pupil numbers taking Standard VI, they have been divided into higher and lower divisions. Mr Peters is in charge of the higher and Miss Arthur of the lower, and Miss Selbie has been moved from Standard IV to V to replace Miss Arthur. Suggests Miss Sime take Miss Selbie’s place.
- James C Barnett, 18th Sep 1900 [could be 28th]. Middle Public School, head teacher. Standard VI has 57 boys and 46 girls. Standard V has 77 boys and 61 girls.
- James C Barnett, 19th Sep 1900. Middle Public School, head teacher. 35 pupils attend Shorthand class.
- J Campbell, undated [no signature but handwriting matches]. Walker Road Public School, Aberdeen. Staffing Arrangements. Four-page document split into 11 sections. Sketches of the arrangements follow on 3 pages of gridded drawing paper. 1. Since the classes were changed last week, it will be possible to change the Infants Department by having 6 rooms instead of 7. This will take effect in 6 months. 2. Excepting Standard IV, all standards will need to fit three classes – numbers provided. 3. Table of the rooms required (17 total). Proposes the two entrance halls be converted to temporary classrooms, as well as one of the boys’ cloakrooms. Estimates of accommodation gains are provided. 4. Discusses the number of pupils and class sizes for Standard VI and Merit classes and how they can be divided among teachers. Believes it is “very desirable to have a male teacher in charge of the large and important section” of Standard VI. 5. The staff of Standard V will remain the same as at present. 6. Standard IV will require an additional assistant mistress. Recommends Miss Annie Hay (gives justifications). 7. No change in the staff of Standard III. 8. Three teachers are required for Standard II – of the existing staff he recommends one for promotion and one for termination. Suggests Miss Davidson take one of the places. 9. An assistant will be freed with the reduction in size of the Infants Department. Proposes using her in the Standard I classes. 10. The Infants Department will require an assistant to replace Miss Davidson. 11. Summary.
- J C, 7th Sep 1900. Walker Road Public School, head teacher. Miss Rennie has passed all her subjects necessary for the E.D.C. and has the separate certificates for these but unaccountably has not yet received her general certificate.
- J Campbell, 7th Sep 1900. Walker Road Public School. Has arranged to mark two attendances that day owing to workmen in the school laying out concrete floors.
- J Campbell, 10th Sep 1900. Walker Road Public School. Infants Promoted to Standard I. Provides percentages across December 1897 to August 1899.
- J Campbell, 21st Sep 1900. Memorandum from D Thomas Hector, the Clerk and Treasurer of the School Board of the Burgh of Aberdeen, requiring him to immediately send a reply to his query for the pupil numbers (boys and girls) of Standards V & VI. These are given below the message.
- J Campbell, 26th Sep 1900. Walker Road Public School. Has given a favourable report on form 15c regarding pupil teacher Margaret Adams. Notes Ida Cameron may now be appointed a pupil teacher.
- J Campbell, 9th Oct 1900. Walker Road Public School. McKnight Fund. Last year the school did not require the fund, but since August 1899 there have been many returned books and it became necessary to withdraw from the fund. It will be necessary again this year.
- J Campbell, 10th Oct 1900. Walker Road Public School. Has been asked to prepare a report on the school’s temporary teachers. Wants to do this with confidence and not come to any premature conclusions. Wants the appointments to remain temporary for now. Thinks he is satisfied with some of them but may eventually want to recommend that some stay on permanently and others not. Wants to think privately on the matter.
- J Campbell, 25th Oct 1900. Walker Road Public School. Wants the Board to appoint Mr William Hendry to the post of Third Master. Believes he has very good ability and will do well as a teacher.
- J Campbell, 31st Oct 1900. Walker Road Public School. Understands working plans for the school extension are being worked on. Asks that a store be provided for the new Infants Department, to be entered from the little courtyard separating the two buildings. The school is severely lacking in storage space, what there is being limited and cramped.
- J Campbell, 31st Oct 1900. Walker Road Public School. References a previous conversation with the clerk regarding appointing two new assistants as an alternative to having four pupil teachers. Has considered the matter carefully and hopes the Board will implement the four pupil teachers and two sub-assistants plan.
- J Campbell, 31st Oct 1900. Walker Road Public School. Was tasked with reporting on the efficiency of three female temporary appointments. Is satisfied in their favour of having them made permanent appointments.
- J Campbell, 2nd Nov 1900. Walker Road Public School. Received a complaint from a parent: William[ina?] Shepherd of 188 Victoria Road. During the call she mentioned she “happened to have a copy” of the Board’s Members’ Handbook. Thinks the clerk will be interested in knowing there are copies of this in wider distribution.
- J N Carmichael, 1st Nov 1900. 22 Union Terrace, Aberdeen. The paper he requested is required for drawing diagrams. States the ones he uses at present are his own property and are worn through with constant use. Requires at least 20 yards more to prepare new diagrams.
- J N Carmichael, 8th Nov 1900. Aberdeen Grammar School. Evening Classes. Sending an order (40s) to the Board’s bookseller to give ‘the usual prizes’ to the previous session Building class students. The prizes will be given out at the Christmas holidays as is the usual custom.
- Duncan Clarke, 15th Nov 1900. 23 Argyll Place, Aberdeen. Reports that students taking shorthand courses will now additionally take Writing and Composition. Asks if these two should be taught together in one class. Asks if the Board will be flexible with attendances on different days.
- John F Cruickshank, 7th Sep 1900. Rosemount Public School. Infants Department to Standard I. Gives representation tables for fee-paying and free place pupils under this department across the years 1894-1896 (fee) and 1897-1899 (free) with explanations expanded upon in the following paragraphs. He provides the numbers of pupils on different levels across 1894-1900 in the final table.
- J F Cruickshank, 18th Sep 1900. Rosemount Public School, head teacher. Sends pupil numbers (boys, girls) in Standards V and VI. Notes he has a Standard VI and 2 Merit classes over and above these.
- John F Cruickshank, 5th Oct 1900. Rosemount Public School. Children of Weak Intellect. Does not believe any pupils at the school fit this description – certainly there are some stupid and dull with slow intellectual development, but even the worst of them are not weak in intellect.
- J F Cruickshank, 18th Oct 1900. Rosemount Public School. Room 14 was exempted from coverage in the inspector’s report. States the facts on this were just as stated but that the issue of excess attendance was in error. Gives the actual roll and attendance levels for the 17th September on the following page (all classes lower than expected).
- J F Cruickshank, 18th Oct 1900. Rosemount Public School, head teacher. Has seen table 57 of the Sanitary Notices indicating the existence of measles in families attending this school. Five new cases have come to light this afternoon. A PS notes the attendance is at 824.
- J F Cruickshank, 15th Nov 1900. Rosemount Public School, head teacher. Refers to Mrs McKay’s illness and when she can return to duty. At the end of the letter is a PS noting poor attendance levels with 813 of 1040 pupils in that day.
- John Davie, 5th Nov 1900. Timetable of Classes Under Charge (Manual Instruction). Table listing his places of meeting (Walker Road, Walker Road (Torry Pupils), Middle (incl. Porthill)), and times of meeting across Monday to Saturday.
- Harriet J Dey, 12th Sep 1900. 9 Northfield Place. Gives her name in application for an appointment as an assistant for a Dressmaking class in any of the Evening Schools. Holds a 1st class certificate for this subject from the City and Guilds of London Institute and has been with Pratt & Keith and is now working for Esslemont & Macintosh.
- Donald Duff, 19th Nov 1900. 92 Blenheim Place, Aberdeen. Science, Art & Manual Instruction Classes. Commenced visiting the Manual Instruction classes on the 8th Sep and the others on the 5th Oct. Now going around the second time and is pleased to report the registers are being properly kept.
- William B Duguid, 18th Sep 1900. Old Aberdeen Evening School. Thirteen pupils arrived for Cookery class yesterday. He asked them to return on Wednesday when he hopes he will know from the Board if the classes are to continue. Expects more will join if the class starts, and in a PS notes 32 pupils arrived for the Continuation classes.
- William B Duguid, 12th Nov 1900. Old Aberdeen Evening School. The inspector recently commented that the Cookery class does not have sufficient staff coverage. 19 pupils are on the roll, 17 of whom were present that day, with an average attendance of 16.3 since the start of October.
- A L Dunbar, 5th Nov 1900. 6 Mount Street West, Aberdeen. Gives his current teaching timetable while warning that he does not know how his recent appointment will affect it. The timetable covers Monday to Friday for Causewayend and Middle (incl. St Paul Street).
- G F Duthie, 3rd Sep 1900. Kittybrewster Public School, head teacher. The Infants Department mistress requires a piano in room 4. This has no communication with the other rooms and is intended for the preparation of students for Standard I classes, therefore the pianos in other rooms are not available for them.
- G F Duthie, 3rd Sep 1900. Kittybrewster Public School, head teacher. Brings the clerk’s attention to the school’s insufficient staff levels. Gives the pupil numbers and staff numbers on hand for each class level. The Infant Department is very understaffed. Notes the work of Standard V falls behind due to lack of attention. Each room should seat 60 at most yet holds 65 or 66.
- G F Duthie, 6th Sep 1900. Kittybrewster Public School, head teacher. 40% of his Infant Department has migrated into Standard I classes.
- George F Duthie, 18th Sep 1900. Kittybrewster Public School. Gives the numbers of boys and girls on the attendance roll for Standards V & VI classes.
- G F Duthie, 27th Sep 1900. Kittybrewster Public School. Sends a cheque for £22 19s 6 ½d covering profit for books sold, exercises sold, copies sold, and sewing garments (breakdown given). Also sent receipts for payments made.
- G F Duthie, 1st Oct 1900. Kittybrewster Public School. Discusses the absences of two pupils, Archibald Adams and Peter Wood, who left the school before the holidays started. They returned 3 to 4 weeks after the school re-opened and gave no reasons for their absence. During that time another of the Wood family attended Woodside Public School. Their return was problematic as their classes are over-attended. If they had returned in time they would not have been refused entry. If notices had been sent in advance he would have kept their names on the roll. Notes the Standard VI class had an absence rate of 21% this week whole Standard III had a 4% rate, so it is impossible to take in more children under present circumstances. Had to refuse a child for Standard VI that day. Tries his best never to refuse a child entry to his classes.
- G F Duthie, 8th Oct 1900. Kittybrewster Public School, head teacher. Miss Davidson employed in the Infant Department seems well fitted for her work.
- G F Duthie, 26th Oct 1900. Kittybrewster Public School, head teacher. Sends a cheque for £5 17s 6d for Music fees to the 1st Nov.
- G F Duthie, 31st Oct 1900. Kittybrewster Public School, head teacher. Sends £3 2s 10d to cover profit in books, sewing money, and exercises sold (breakdown given).
- George Fenton, 18th Sep 1900. 2 Loanhead Terrace, Aberdeen. Gives a list of pupil numbers in the different classes plus their teachers (total 138 pupils – larger than the previous year). Miss Ross of Millinery class has asked for Miss Johnstone of 25 Bon-Accord Street to be brought in as an assistant due to the large class size. Also requires a connection for Miss Lyon’s (of Cookery class) additional stove and a means to transport it to and from the gymnasium. The water provided for Cookery will need to be screened off but in such a way that the Manual Instruction class can access it with neither side disturbing the other.
- George Fenton, 27th Sep 1900. Holburn Street Evening School. Requests again that the Board give a grant towards making a library for this school. Although the encouragement of reading is a good reason alone, another reason makes it imperative. The class sizes are large and the distribution of students depends a large part on the gymnastics classes. Unfortunately, Mr Cruden will not be able to supply a teacher until after the Christmas holidays, and the Crown Street Training College will not be available on Friday evenings. Therefore, an alternative site to hold the students (and their attention) must be found quickly.
- George Fenton, 11th Oct 1900. Holburn Street Evening School. Cookery class now has 28 pupils and might rise to 30, the maximum allowed. The number of students on practical nights is now 14 and might rise to 15. Requires a third master to take on the extra pupils and hours – gives details of the timing breakdowns.
- George Fenton, 18th Oct 1900. Holburn Street Evening School. In previous letters has brought measures to the Board’s attention that might benefit pupils and raise the school’s attractiveness. Now wishes the Board resurrect prizes for pupils in certain classes. He suggests one for perfect attendance in conjunction with at least 70% marks in three of his classes plus assurances received of good behaviour. In previous such classes, marks and attendance all noticeably increased. Numbers in classes this year have decreased by about 25% on last year’s enrolment. Gives assurances on the accounting fronts (for the Board and Government). Believes several students in the Continuation classes would benefit from joining his special classes (Commercial – the Technical classes are very successful). In a PS notes Miss Lyon has 29 registered pupils and gives some detail on attendances.
- James Findlay, 3rd Sep 1900. St. Clement Street Public School. Notes that H.M. Inspectors have arrived around this time previously without notice. Findlay fears them arriving to find him teaching a class in either room VII or St. Clements’ Church. He is anxious to have an extra room to place the 75 pupils of Standard II. Asks if such a room could be rented by the Board at once.
- James Findlay, 7th Sep 1900. St. Clement Street Public School. 43% of Infants progress up to the Junior Department annually.
- James Findlay, 18th Sep 1900. St. Clement Street Public School. Gives the number of pupils (boys, girls) in Standard V and VI classes.
- James Findlay, 20th Sep 1900. St. Clement Street Public School. Standard II is now divided into two classes taught in separate rooms. Requests that Standard VI may be given the same treatment.
- James Findlay, 18th Oct 1900. St. Clement Street Public School. Has been instructed to re-admit some children. Notes one pupil has now moved to Gray Street but wishes to continue on at school here. Another is nearly 14 years old and lives in Nelson Place and is absent due to an outbreak of measles at home. They have been struck off the roll. The other two are to try the Labour Certificate exam and should pass. Needs to have good reasons to dismiss students individually as this could give offence.
- Alexander Forbes, 10th Sep 1900. Skene Street Public School. Due to the changes introduced in August 1898 we are now admitting fewer infants into Standard I classes, effectively because the standard has been raised. An H.M. Inspector raised the issue of Infants school duration some years ago with the idea that 2 years was an average. Forbes believed the average was nearer 2.5 years and checked the government schedules that confirmed this, however the other teachers believed in the 2 years figure, perhaps just not having checked the facts themselves. Includes calculations to back up his assertion. In a PS, wonders if the city’s schools didn’t have overcrowded Infants Departments per se – rather they merely became congested towards the end of the sessions.
- Alexander Forbes, 10th Sep 1900. Skene Street Public School. Evening School Slips. Gives the number of families with boys or girls of Evening School age as about 180. Believes a quarter of them expect their brothers or sisters to go to Evening School, however the presence of the slips may draw the attention of more.
- Alexander Forbes, 20th Sep 1900. Skene Street Public School, head teacher. Gives the number of pupils (boys, girls) in Merit VI and Junior V & VI classes. A note at the end of the letter gives a little more detail.
- Alexander Forbes, 18th Oct 1900. Skene Street Public School, head teacher. Encloses a long list of names for the Clothing Association. Has seen an increase in poorly outfitted children. The demolishment of slum properties has driven many to refuge in the Denburn and neighbouring streets.
- W Fyfe, 13th Sep 1900. Marywell Street Public School. 31% of Infants have progressed into Standard I classes this session. The average is about 33%.
- W Fyfe, 20th Sep 1900. Marywell Street Public School. Gives the number of pupils (boys, girls) in Standard V (a & b) & VI classes.
- W F, 2nd Oct 1900. Marywell Street Public School. A new appointment to replace Miss Watson will be needed this month. She is prepared to leave when this person starts but is prepared to stay on a little longer if needed. She teaches Junior Division Class II which has about 60 pupils and teaches the usual subjects (Sewing, Drawing, Brushwork, Physical Drill). Miss Clarke who operates as a pupil teacher here is spoken highly of by our Infants Mistress as having good scholarship and faithfulness.
- W Fyfe, 8th Oct 1900. Marywell Street Public School. Children of Weak Intellect. No pupils here can be characterised by this description.
- W Fyfe, 9th Oct 1900. Marywell Street School, head teacher. Note of Qualifications of Teachers in Drawing. Lists the teachers and the certificates they hold.
- W Fyfe, 2nd Nov 1900. Marywell Street Public School. Requests extending the library space by using the ground floor ‘Teachers’ room which is already fitted with bookcases, table, etc. The present library space is limited and inconvenient. At present it holds 200 volumes popular with the senior students.
- William Gauld, 28th Sep 1900. 16 Summerfield Terrace, Aberdeen. Sent £24 15s in fees for the Machine Construction Class.
- William Gauld, 28th Sep 1900. Sent in signed copies of the timetable. Mr Alexander Ogilvie (certified May 1900) is to keep the register and be a junior assistant as the class is large and it would increase the grant.
- William Gauld, 28th Sep 1900. 16 Summerfield Terrace, Aberdeen. Machine Construction Class. This class had its first lesson on the night of 27th Sep with 112 pupils on the roll. Accommodation is full so no more pupils can be taken (10 or 12 had to be turned away). Mr Alexander Ogilvie can keep the roll as a junior assistant and his salary would be similar to that last year (~£5).
- William Gauld, 19th Oct 1900. St. Paul Street Evening School, head teacher. 19th Oct 1900. St. Paul Street Evening School, head teacher. Machine Drawing Class. Suggests the Elementary class timetable be revised and “the whole two hours sitting be devoted to earning attendance Grant”. One hour was already given for this and the other was for preparing works to be sent to the art department – however, the number of pupils capable of doing so effectively is very small and the Inspector has repeatedly recommended he drop this entirely. Believes the increased grant would make up for this. Also recommends that the junior assistant Mr Alexander Ogilvie be entered into the timetable as a teacher as he has the necessary certificates and the elementary class is very large [see 28th Sep 1900].
- William Gauld, 22nd Oct 1900. St. Paul Street Evening School, head teacher. Machine Construction Class. Suggests the department hand over the prize value to the Board in money when they were ready to order the student to present to a local bookseller.
- William Gauld, 24th Oct 1900. Believes all his students are at ‘Ordinary’ level.
- William Gauld, 26th Oct 1900. St. Paul Street Evening School, head teacher. All his students are at ‘Ordinary’ level.
- William Gauld, 30th Oct 1900. St. Paul Street Evening School. Machine Drawing Class. Sent details of the alterations for the Elementary class, numbers of students enrolled in each stage, and Alexander Ogilvie’s certificate [see 22nd Oct 1900].
- John Gordon, undated. Aberdeen High School for Girls. Saturday All-Classes. The registers now hold 48 individual pupils for the classes listed (Elementary Design, Shading, Freehand, Perspective, Blackboard, Model Drawing).
- A Green, 4th Sep 1900. Skene Square Public School. Requested the service of a temporary drill instructor. Calculates this will be for 13 half hours per week “under our present straitened conditions”. On the reverse the clerk asks for further details.
- A Green, 5th Sep 1900. Skene Square Public School, head teacher. Gives the dates/hours the drill instructors would be required to attend. With further manipulations Green has found an extra half hour reduction.
- A Green, 7th Sep 1900. Skene Square Public School, head teacher. Reply to Letter of Date 6th Sep. Gives the number of Infant pupils progressed into Standard I classes as of August 1900. (40.6%).
- A Green, 13th Sep 1900. Skene Square Public School. Is satisfied with the female candidate pupil teachers sent to him for approvals, Miss Jane Anderson and Miss Johanna P Gray. Believes Mr Leslie J Gray could yet find a sphere of employment more befitting him. Does not wish to discourage him if he is bent on this path, “for I regard few peculiarities or even impediments of nature as insurmountable to enthusiastic youth” but hopes that by making this reservation he will help the boy in the long run.
- A Green, 18th Sep 1900. Skene Square Public School. States that a substitute for Mr Leslie J Gray will be needed by the end of the month. This person “need not belong to the coarser sex unless it is the Board’s irrevocable choice to have it so”.
- A Green, 18th Sep 1900. Skene Square Public School. The new school bibles have arrived and have been marked as school property.
- A Green, 20th Sep 1900. Skene Square Public School, head teacher. Tabled outline of the number of pupils (boys, girls) in Standards V & VI (A-B-C classes).
- A Green, 28th Sep 1900. Skene Square Public School. Refers to a grievance raised by Mr Johnston, writing that when the girl was sent home to explain her absence, Mr Clarke had not yet received the officer’s report.
- A Green, 1st Oct 1900. Skene Square Public School. Refers to the advertisement of a post at the school given Mr R M Littlejohn’s removal. Hopes the Board will consider Mr James A Scott, M.A., who has his support.
- Alexander Green, 24th Oct 1900. Skene Square Public School. Writes in reference to the need to appoint an assistant to take charge of part of Standard V classes. Years previously, the Board appointed a Mr Jones, “of doubtful efficiency”, in the place of a competent teacher despite Green’s objections. This was partly because the Board hoped Mr Jones would see this as a form of punishment reflecting their dissatisfaction with his services at Holburn Street School – to hopefully force him to move into a new sphere of employment – and partly that they hoped to provoke more activity out of him by being in Green’s “plain speaking” presence. He mentions this now to remind the Board that even “very plain speaking sometimes fails in its desired result”. The legacy of this appointment continues to be felt at the school so he asks the Board for a “vigorous and experienced assistant” to make up for the issues that have developed.
- William Hendry, 20th Sep 1900. Causewayend Evening School. Interviewed Mr Burns of Stoneywood School the previous evening and believes he will be able to manage the Commercial Correspondence class. This will occupy one hour per evening.
- William Hendry, 28th Sep 1900. Causewayend Evening School. Only 7 pupils are enrolled in Cookery class so far – perhaps a few more will arrive next week. Should the numbers eventually exceed those in King Street, he asks that the class in Causewayend be reviewed for closure. Hendry advises that some of the 7 take Millinery here as well two days per week so would not be able to transfer. At present there are 40 pupils enrolled in Millinery and Miss Youngson needs an assistant both evenings to manage them. Miss Thomson was given this role but has since been transferred to Kittybrewster School. She would rather stay here (at the same pay) but cannot undertake 4 evenings per week. Asks if this can be done as her loss is unfortunate.
- William Hendry, 29th Sep 1900. Causewayend Evening School. Called on the clerk that morning but missed him. Is concerned by a report that the clerk refused to sanction his order of Temple Readers as the Board refused to allow a reduction in price of any books save these to students of the Continuation Classes. Advises that he was aware of the rule and the books were for his advanced students in those classes, the majority of whom already have Merit certificates.
- William Hendry, 13th Oct 1900. Causewayend Evening School. Requires extra assistance for the Millinery class which now has a roll of 45. Miss Youngson has only one assistant and needs another. Originally, two years ago, the class had two assistants when it had far fewer pupils. Strongly recommends, via Miss Youngson, the appointment of Miss Christina Ryder who is currently employed by Messrs. Kinghorn, on a weekly basis on a rate of 5s / week.
- Thomas C Hynd, 6th Sep 1900. King Street Public School. Handed to Mr Gall the names of 69 pupils who might be persuaded to transfer to schools nearer their homes, and specifically Hanover Street School. He has requested the teachers let the pupils have the school property they use home with them on Friday as presents for this move. Has made no references to making good any losses incurred by the need to change books. Lists the number of refusals in the last month (60) and dismissals (69). Hopes the clerk will have the new numbers of pupils per room shown on the next edition of the Hand Books.
- Thomas C Hynd, 7th Sep 1900. King Street School. Pencilled reply on reverse of typewritten letter received by the clerk, Thomas Hector, who had written that he did not understand why the Members’ Directory needed corrected class numbers [see Hynd 6th Sep 1900] while giving the total enrolment as 1728. Hynd replies that he has explained this previously. Certain rooms were arranged to reduce their numbers from 77 to 65 after the pupil teachers were sent away.
- Thomas C Hynd, 10th Sep 1900. King Street Public School. Understands Mr Webster, the school’s teacher of Short-Hand, has written to the clerk about introducing this system into the Central School. Clarifies this was done at his request and now presses for a reply. More urgently he needs books all over the school and some pupils object to provide themselves with the textbooks for Script because Central School only teaches using Pitman.
- Thomas C Hynd, 10th Sep 1900. King Street Public School. 175 pupils passed on from the Infants Department last August. This number exactly filled the vacant places in Standard I rooms allowing for 10% absences. This year the number in the Infants Department has averaged 500, so about 35%. Formerly, after the Standard V passed, the upper classes cleared away more places to have at our disposal. About 50% then were advanced. Now, pupils are entering the Infant Department at steadily rising ages (table enclosed).
- Thomas C Hynd, 13th Sep 1900. King Street Public School. Notes the Committee & General meetings of the Burgh and Parochial Schoolmasters are being held in Edinburgh shortly. As a member of the former and a delegate to the latter, Hynd proposes to attend. He assures the clerk he will arrange everything needed for the school beforehand.
- Thomas C Hynd, 13th Sep 1900. King Street Public School. Re Miss Buchan. Requires temporary help for room 16 where two classes are at work. Wishes for Miss Buchan to be placed in a city school where she can stay until she obtains her Acting Teacher Certificate. If this can be done he would try to get another one to help in the present problem.
- Thomas C Hynd, 18th Sep 1900. King Street Public School, head teacher. Provides pupil figures noting that H.M. Inspector Mr Topping also took note of these room by room today. He also took note of those refused in August and September. Page 2 lists the pupil numbers (boys, girls) for classes V & VI that afternoon and subdivisions on reverse showing room numbers and the numbers of pupils present or on books.
- Thomas C Hynd, 26th Sep 1900. King Street Public School. The Election. Asks for the time the tradesmen will take possession of the school as sometimes they come early. Should the gym room only be required, the ordinary afternoon work of the classes will not be interfered with except for Manual Instruction which might be cancelled.
- Thomas C Hynd, 26th Sep 1900. King Street Public School. Recommends Miss Grace as a candidate pupil teacher.
- Thomas C Hynd, 26th Sep 1900. King Street School. Merit Certificate. Notes the uniformity of passed tests among the different districts of Scotland and between different inspectors in the same district. Attributes this to the circulation of sample papers. Wishes the Board could participate in the regular use of them, although their cost prohibits them. Has signed an order form all the same and has sent this and further particulars to the clerk.
- Thomas C Hynd, 18th Oct 1900. King Street Public School. H.M. Inspector Mr Topping visited the school on the 18th Sep 1900. He toured the rooms on his own as Hynd was busy until near the end. Mr Topping was pleased with most of the school, drawing attention only to the crowding in room 16 which had two sections and two teachers. Hynd gave him the same explanation he had given the Board that it was a temporary arrangement. The Middle Division was blocked by younger students wanting in and the high retention rate of older pupils. Gives further details about the numbers of books versus the number of pupils enrolled. There was a low absence rate that day owing to the fear of being asked to leave. Refers to tales supplied to the clerk and describes their content (rooms, class sizes, averages). Yesterday the school was down to 1632 pupils yet the school is nearly at full accommodation. There is a danger of having to ask local children to enrol at the new Hanover School. Will be pleased to report to and answer questions for the committee. Wants to school to have a maximum 1637 pupils with an 8% absence rate. On average the school could only teach 1506, a large drop but one only rectified by having new buildings built.
- Thomas C Hynd, 19th Oct 1900. King Street Public School. Pleased to inform the clerk that Miss Spence, who has done excellent work with Miss Taylor in the Infant Department, has received notice that her 1st and 2nd Years have both passed their papers. Recommends her for teaching the higher grade and be entitled to a rise in salary, etc.
- Thomas C Hynd, 22nd Oct 1900. King Street Public School. Advises that the clerk’s reply will most likely be given over to the H.M. Inspector Mr Walker who may visit the school. Hynd would like to look at the letter. In a PS he writes that if the inspectors arrive early they should sign in at the register.
- Thomas C Hynd, 25th Oct 1900. King Street Public School, head teacher. School Attendance. Current attendance low and irregular. Gives the past month’s work of Thursday forenoon attendances. Attributes this to an epidemic of both fear and measles. One of the consequences has been sending home all the students of a family when only the infant has the measles.
- Thomas C Hynd, 31st Oct 1900. King Street Public School. Measles Epidemic. The next month’s figures may be late. The disease is affecting attendance levels. In September the rate of absences in the Infants Department was 5.9%. Today it reached 19.7%. Provides an absence list for each room. Has a list of 38 centres or families affected and of these 24 were added within this week, with 10 reported the previous day. Does not wish to cause agitation or move forces that could cause the schools to close (Hynd is not sure how the other schools are affected) but recommends the Board should find out what the situation is.
- Thomas C Hynd, 9th Nov 1900. King Street Public School. School Attendances. Follows up on the absence rates due to the measles epidemic by giving updated figures. Calculations inside letter, with a note that 12 further families were affected since that midday.
- John R Jack, 7th Sep 1900. Porthill Public School. The number of children progressing from the Infant Department into Standard I classes is about 30% of the roll.
- John R Jack, 18th Sep 1900. Porthill Public School, head teacher. Gives the numbers of pupils (boys, girls) in Standards V & VI.
- Alexina M King, 29th Oct 1900. 40 Ashley Road, Aberdeen. Asks for a transfer away from Torry Public School to a school’s Infant Department closer to her home as her health is suffering and the distance affords her little to no time in the evenings for dinner.
- D B Lothian, 20th Sep 1900. King Street Public Evening School. Miss Bagrie’s employer is believed to be Mrs Anderson, dressmaker, Union Street.
- D B Lothian, 1st Oct 1900. King Street Public Evening School. Dressmaking Class. The roll of this class is now at 87 with likely more to come. Asks for Miss Smith c/o Mrs Dawson, dressmaker, 431 Union Street, to be reappointed as an assistant. She has held this role for the previous two years.
- D B Lothian, 10th Oct 1900. King Street Evening School. Requires a second sewing machine for Dressmaking class, described by Mrs Dawson as “absolutely necessary” as the class size is so large. Mrs Dawson would like it if she could give her opinion on the selection.
- D B Lothian, 1st Nov 1900. King Street Evening School. Gives the average ages of pupils in the Dressmaking (Needlework) and Cookery classes.
- D B Lothian, 5th Nov 1900. King Street Public Evening School. Reports that a woman brought her daughter (Elsie Erskine, 13) to the school that night requesting her admission, claiming to have been sent by the clerk. Elsie Erskine was last at St. Paul Street School and has failed her recent Labour Certificate exam. Asks if the woman’s statement was truthful.
- W Litster, undated. Has a simple form of timetable now as her assistants spend all forenoon or afternoon at one school. She is to be found at some of the schools taught by assistants but cannot give a definitive programme.
- W Litster, 21st Oct 1900. 68 Springbank Terrace, Aberdeen. Has been waiting for the appearance of several [… ?] since opening in August that seem to have been overlooked. These include two for Hanover Street, one for [… ?], one for King Street. As King Street is so big we only need one on each flat. Carrying them about at present is difficult.
- W L Marr, 2nd Nov 1900. 22 Union Terrace. Gives the timetable for the Mathematical Evening Class taught by himself as Mr Edward is engaged.
- W L Marr, undated postcard. Quotes Science & Art Directory p.26 section h. Comments that this is evident only if the position applies only to day classes [see Marr 7th Nov].
- W L Marr, 7th Nov 1900. High School. States that only day pupils are excluded from earning grants if they have no science subject. From a conversation he had with the H.M. Inspector, Marr deduces that he was working from last year’s directory which has out of date information, that stated both day and evening pupils are excluded unless they have special permission. This permission may be granted if the mathematics class was mainly attended by engineers or artisans, if there was a focus on the practical application of the subject, or if the students are studying other subjects in conjunction such as theoretical mechanics, magnetism, electrical, or machine construction, or will take science subjects later.
- J McB. Answers to letters of 10th September. 1. Shows the increase in enrolment this year against last. 2. Bible instruction applies only up to class III of the lower school. 3. Drawing – An extra hour per week has been added to several lower school classes – plus Sewing and French. Further details of class times given.
- John McBain, 26th Sep 1900. Aberdeen High School for Girls. About a dozen students are able to claim Graph Certificates. Asks if they should be named on a special form. The certificates can only be claimed if the pupils have been 4 years in a recognised school.
- John McBain, 5th Oct 1900. Aberdeen High School for Girls. Gave Tuesday 25th Sep as a holiday to mark the occasion when the first group of former pupils graduated in Arts at the University. The date was chosen partly to lessen the inconvenience of building operations in progress (i.e. noises, smells, heating and ventilation unavailable).
- John McBain, 6th Oct 1900. Aberdeen High School for Girls. Bella Henderson, now residing at home near Mintlaw, has been credited with a Higher Certificate for French on her Leaving Certificate. This is an error as she should have an Honours Certificate. She did receive an Honours Certificate in German.
- John McBain, 29th Oct 1900. Aberdeen High School for Girls. Will be pleased to see Mr Ewen on Wednesday. Due to the timing he will ensure methods and arrangements are more on display at the time rather than drawing.
- John McBain, 9th Nov 1900. Aberdeen High School for Girls. Promised Miss Lacaille a decision on matters of French grammar. Has been issued details by the Minister of Public Instruction in France who replied to her. Wants a dozen copies ordered for the school so that one is put on the wall of each class.
- John McBain, 14th Nov 1900. Aberdeen High School for Girls. Thanks the clerk for sending the leaflets asked for [see 9th Nov 1900]. Asks him to obtain the consent to use the changes made by the French minister from the Education Department. Other important institutions have accepted the simplified changes to syntax and grammar.
- John McBain, 16th Nov 1900. Aberdeen High School for Girls. Asks for large foolscap sheets with coat of arms plus sealing wax impressed with the school board stamp. “An imposing envelope might be thrown in to complete the fiasco”.
- J McGregor, 6th Sep 1900. Old Aberdeen Public School, head teacher. Unsure of the proportion of Infant Department pupils who moved into Standard I classes due to the schools having recently been combined. Estimates 40% would be close.
- J McGregor, 18th Sep 1900. Old Aberdeen Public School, head teacher. Gives the numbers of pupils (boys, girls) in Standard V & VI classes.
- J McGregor, 12th Oct 1900. Old Aberdeen Public School, head teacher. Has heard from parents around Hayton Rad and Bedford Road that they will persist in sending their children here. Asks what position he should take.
- J McGregor, 15th Oct 1900. Old Aberdeen Public School, head teacher. Twenty of the pupils told to transfer elsewhere turned up again and were refused entry. In a PS notes Elsie Wilson in Standard III, daughter of Alexander Wilson in Hayton, states that she received no notice to leave. Asks if this is a mistake. The clerk responds that the letter was sent out but it was returned by the Post Office for having an imperfect address. It has since been re-sent.
- J McGregor, 17th Oct 1900. Old Aberdeen Public School. Mr Topping, H.M. Inspector, visited on the 18th Sep 1900 and presumably supplied his report with attendance figures on that date. Encloses a statement of those same figure versus the figures obtained on the 17th Oct 1900. This gives the room numbers, class divisions, accommodation space, numbers on the roll, and numbers present with comments.
- J McGregor, 12th Nov 1900. Old Aberdeen Public School, head teacher. Presence of Measles has significantly impacted attendance – absence figures given for the whole school, infants only, and the rest.
- J McGregor, 19th Nov 1900. Old Aberdeen Public School, head teacher. Gives the percentage of absences that day (infants 34%, standards 16%, whole school 21.7%).
- John A McHardy, 10th Sep 1900. Woodside Public School. Calculates out that 27.7% of pupils in the Infant Department moved into Standard I classes.
- John A McHardy, 18th Sep 1900. Woodside Public School. Gives the numbers and percentages of pupils (boys, girls) in Standard V & VI classes.
- John A McHardy, 28th Sep 1900. Woodside Public School. Lays out the facts surrounding the boys Adams and Wood. Both came to school without parents or guardians accompanying them. McHardy asked them about this and why they left their last schools. They had not wanted to leave but had been refused entry due to long absences after the holidays. He explained that for such times (2 weeks) they cannot have been taken off their old school registers and should apply there again. They were unsuccessful and the father of Wood called in person. McHardy agreed to take up their case and discovered that the young Wood was “a big fellow who from his backwardness would have to go into a class with much smaller boys and therefore not at all desirable”. His classroom was also overcrowded. Decided Wood’s old school should have him. Adams did not return.
- John A McHardy, 28th Sep 1900. Woodside Public School. Lists the money accounts for this month (book, exercises, sewing material and Education Fund account).
- John A McHardy, 16th Oct 1900. Woodside Public School. Mr Galloway visited today, and he is displeased with the appearance of some of the classrooms. McHardy believes some of this is attributable to the cleaning being held back on account of the new plans but expects Mr Galloway to mention the matter to Mr Walker. McHardy quotes the inspector: “the rooms are dirty still, even though their dirt was censured by H.M. Inspector in January”.
- John A McHardy, 18th Oct 1900. Woodside Public School. A recent migration of pupils into Standards I, II, III classes is making them too large, now with over 150 pupils in total. Worries the two teachers there (Miss Mitchell & Miss Rae) are being overwhelmed. Wants to send some of the pupils upstairs to vacant rooms under Miss Milne who looks after the 2nd Division Merit students and have a replacement sent for her. The desks there are presently too high and wonders if the ones in the Free Church Hall could be obtained to replace them.
- John A McHardy, 23rd Oct 1900. Woodside Public School. Pupils from Old Aberdeen School. Enclosed list of pupils who moved over from this school in the last week. 29 pupils are listed (names given and dates of move).
- John A McHardy, 19th Nov 1900. Woodside Public School. Busy, will call in a few days. Has go the library in working order again and has books in circulation. Asks if arrangements are now in place for getting new books.
- Elizabeth T Macintosh, 13th Sep 1900. 105 Irvine Place, Aberdeen. Teaches in the Central Higher Grade School where many of her peers are on a higher pay scale. Asks the Board to review her case. Has taught there for 6 years, originally temporarily but since then promoted to permanent. Has since gained her Government Certificate and has always had her L.L.A. Diploma (Hons. In Education and Botany). Taught for 2 years at the Grammar School before joining Central. Still gets paid the junior division teacher salary.
- John McKenzie, 7th Sep 1900. Holburn Street Public School, head teacher. 34.3% of pupils in the Infant Department moved into Standard I classes.
- John McKenzie, 14th Sep 1900. Holburn Street Public School, head teacher. Has received 36 bibles for school use.
- J McK, 19th Sep 1900. Holburn Street Public School. Gives the numbers of pupils (boys, girls) in Standard V & VI classes.
- John McKenzie, 20th Sep 1900. Holburn Street Public School. Hopes to set up a school library. Proposes having an entertainment to raise money towards the end of the school year. The Evening School headmaster would also like to have access to it and is prepared to hand over some funds. Asks if the Board will consent and, should they do so, would they send aid in carrying out the proposal.
- John McKenzie, 25th Sep 1900. Holburn Street Public School. A meeting was held a while ago between the School Board, the Head Teachers, and the Ladies’ Clothing Association. To help the association it was proposed to make a collection among the Board Schools in October. McKenzie would help towards the collection if the Board will express approval of it and recommend it to teachers.
- John McKenzie, 19th Oct 1900. Holburn Street Public School. Head Teachers’ Association. Directed by the association to send the clerk £58 13s 1d for the collections taken in the schools to the week ending 12th Oct on behalf of the Childrens’ Clothing Association. There was an understanding that some of this could be given over to the Fresh Air Fortnight Scheme. The head teachers believe the CCA should receive £50 and the remainder given to the FAFS, should the Board approve.
- John McLachlan, 7th Sep 1900. Ashley Road Public School. 34.4% of pupils in the Infant Department moved into Standard I classes.
- J McL, 7th Sep 1900. Ashley Road Public School. Instruction of Pupil-Teachers. Provides a timetable for this for senior and junior levels.
- John McLachlan, 20th Sep 1900. Ashley Road Public School, head teacher. 32 pupils are taking the Shorthand Class.
- John McLachlan, 20th Sep 1900. Ashley Road Public School. Gives the numbers of pupils (boys, girls) in Standard V & VI classes.
- John McLachlan, 9th Oct 1900. Ashley Road Public School. Weak Intellect. None of his pupils fall under this category.
- William D McLean, 5th Sep 1900. Hanover Street Public School. Has asked Miss Lyon to make a list of materials needed to convert room 16 into one suitable for Cookery class. If the Board approves and the difficulties of supplying gas can be overcome, Miss Lyon would like to select the articles.
- William D McLean, 7th Sep 1900. Hanover Street Public School. With caveats listed, calculates that 33% of pupils in the Infant Department moved into Standard I classes.
- William D McLean, 7th Sep 1900. Hanover Street Public School. Classes of this school took possession of the Salvation Army Buildings on Monday 6th June 1898.
- William D McLean, 18th Sep 1900. Hanover Street Public School. Pressing need for an increase of staff in the Infant Department for an assistant and senior & junior pupil-teachers. Two additional certified assistants would be useful for the junior department’s Standard II & III classes. The latter is already split with Miss Bennet taking one section. The two assistants would free her to assist with Standard IV. Included within the letter is a separate sheet listing the number of pupils at each Standard class plus Infants on that day.
- W D McL, 18th Sep 1900. Hanover Street Public School. Sends the numbers of pupils in Standard V & VI classes.
- William D McLean, 27th Sep 1900. Hanover Street Public School. Mr J C Thomson and his cleaners applied for access to the classrooms to clean the partition glass in the different school divisions. This was for the forenoon and afternoon today. McLean has rearranged it so that there is a double class session instead to minimise disturbance and he will also have to allow a holiday the day after so that the floors can be properly washed.
- William D McLean, 17th Oct 1900. Hanover Street Public School. Sent a list of pupils in need of books and clothing. All the children “are in sore need: the parents in most cases are undeserving of help”.
- William McLean, 29th Oct 1900. Hanover Street Public School. Miss Alice Laing has done satisfactory work in Senior Division instruction. Previously since 14th May she had been attached to Standard IV. Asks for her to be confirmed as a permanent member of staff in the Senior Division.
- William D McLean, 9th Nov 1900. Hanover Street Public School. As the Standard I class has become so large, it will now be necessary to split it across two rooms. The present classroom can hold 62 pupils but the class is now at 77. Will the Board also allow another additional assistant teacher to be brought in?
- William D McLean, 15th Nov 1900. Hanover Street Public School. Asks for a staff increase in the Infant Department. 277 pupils are on the roll – numbers listed by room, division, and teacher. Also 2 pupil teachers in the forenoon and afternoon – one is fully in charge of room 2 which is not ideal as a junior pupil teacher cannot command the class. The other pupil-teacher’s duty is divided between the classes of two teachers – Miss Harvey and Miss Brown. Miss Brown’s class is rapidly swelling in size (92 pupils) and is entering a difficult part of the curriculum. Additional help would allow more attention to be given to rooms 2 and 4.
- William D McLean, 15th Nov 1900. Hanover Street Public School. Applies for an increase in staff for the Infant Division. Has recently sent in a similar claim for the Standard I class.
- Charles McLeod, ‘Thursday’. 120 Hamilton Place, Aberdeen. Gives details about materials ordered for science classes (electrical coils, class scales, jam pots) with manufacturers and sellers named.
- C McLeod, 12th Sep 1900. Grammar School. Is in urgent need of platinum for the science classes. It can be bought from Mr Dunn on Schoolhill.
- M Mitchell, 7th Sep 1900. 65 Chapel Street, Aberdeen. Asks for their qualification to be corrected on the last Winter’s evening classes from ‘Certified’ to ‘Certified, First Class’ which would advantage Kittybrewster school. Also asks to be notified if any young ladies put themselves forward for the City and Guild’s examinations.
- Alexander Moodie, 13th Sep 1900. Woodside Evening School. Asks for 10 dozen Evening School admission schedules and a copy of the 1893 Evening School code.
- Alexander Moodie, 18th Sep 1900. Woodside Evening School. AsMr Cullen was on duty the night before and he knows little of Drawing, he was substituted the third subject, ‘The Science of Common Things’, a subject both he and Mr Duff like. Still trying to decide what to teach his class of girls near the end of their session. Notes 85 pupils were on last night’s roll.
- Alexander Moodie, 12th Nov 1900. Woodside Evening School, head teacher. Submitted the school timetable in duplicate but both copies were returned unsigned. Received a verbal reply that the Inspector would sign it only when he visited the school. Asks if this is all right although it is unusual.
- Helen Morrice, 7th Nov 1900. 18 Mile End Avenue, Aberdeen. Spent the previous four years as a pupil teacher in Porthill Public School. Asks to receive her full Elementary Certificate for Drawing, citing her 1st and 2nd class certificates in the constituent subjects (listed) gained from exams at Gray’s School of Art.
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- E D Nisbet [unsigned, handwriting matches], 10th Sep 1900. Torry Public School, head teacher. The number of pupils moved from the Infant Department into Standard I classes has been 42% for the last 8 years.
- E D Nisbet [unsigned, handwriting matches], 18th Sep 1900. Torry Public School, head teacher. Only a table is on the page containing the numbers of pupils (boys, girls) in Standard classes V & VI.
- E D Nisbet, 19th Nov 1900. Torry Public School. Teacher’s Absence Report. Had been unaware until now that the clerk required a weekly report on this subject.
- E D Nisbet, 6th Oct 1900. Torry Public School. Writes about the work of his lady assistant teachers. Miss M J Grant and Miss L M Richards both assist class VI which has 73 pupils. Miss Grant has her own class of 8 girls for French and Miss Richards has her own class of boys for French. “Both ladies are well qualified for the work they are doing and are energetic, amiable and enthusiastic teachers”.
- John Peter, 7th Sep 1900. Commerce Street Public School. The number of pupils who moved from the Infant Department to Standard I classes is 35%.
- John Peter, 18th Sep 1900. Commerce Street Public School, head teacher. Gives the numbers of pupils (boys, girls) in Standard V & VI classes.
- John Peter, 28th Sep 1900. Commerce Street Public School. Miss Georgina Johnston expects to resume work shortly and thus Maggie Greig will no longer be needed. This is unfortunate as she is very satisfactory and is sorry he has no permanent position to offer her.
- John Peter, 4th Oct 1900. Commerce Street Public School. Children of Weak Intellect. None of his students match this description.
- John Peter, 5th Oct 1900. Commerce Street Public School. Children’s Clothing Association. Sympathetic with this and will endeavour to make the collection a success. Thinks a week should be allocated for all the collections to be made at each school with each allowed to choose its own day.
- John Peter, 12th Oct 1900. Commerce Street Public School. School Board Offices. Sends £1 16s collected towards the Ladies’ Clothing Association.
- John Peter, 15th Oct 1900. Commerce Street Public School. Will be unable to shift two classes to make the roll numbers suit the accommodation after all. The desks are the main obstacle as those in room 5 are too long to fit room 1. Will set the issue aside until the Building Committee’s next report. Mr Walker, H. M. Inspector, visited the school on the 26th and made a thorough inspection of the school’s construction, room sizes, desk sizes, etc, so any change we might make would have little consequence anyway.
- Bentley Philip, 3rd Oct 1900. 8 Belvidere Crescent, Aberdeen. Received a share of last year’s grant as earned through his science class. As this year’s grant is about the same size, asks if he will again be paid.
- James Pope, 1st Oct 1900. 28 Victoria Street, Aberdeen. Sends in his Art Teacher’s Certificate to the clerk.
- Elizabeth Robertson, 18th Oct 1900. 5 New Pier Road, Aberdeen. Asks for a transfer to a vacancy at Broomhill Road School. She has been at Frederick Street School for 12 years including her apprenticeship and finds conditions there affect her health. Is disappointed she did not previously accept a transfer to Walker Road School. She has moved house to Forest Avenue for her health.
- William Roberton, 6th Sep 1900. Westfield Public School. Gives the numbers of pupils who moved from the Infant Department to Standard I classes as about 35%.
- William Robertson, 19th Sep 1900. Westfield Public School. Gives the numbers of pupils (boys, girls) in Standard V & VI classes.
- Will Robertson, 14th Nov 1900. Westfield Public School. Enclosed letter of resignation from Miss Rowell. Wants to draw the committee’s attention to the question of appointing an assistant to take charge of the class in the detached building. “Think it is especially desirable that a male should have charge”.
- James Rose, 7th Sep 1900. Causewayend Public School. Gives the number of pupils who moved from the Infant Department to Standard I classes as about 42% over the last few years and 44% this year. About a third of those so advanced to Standard II.
- James Rose, 18th Sep 1900. Causewayend Public School. Tables the numbers of pupils (boys, girls) in Standard V & VI classes.
- James Rose, 5th Oct 1900. Causewayend Public School. Miss M B Cruickshank is a very willing and anxious teacher but does not at present seem well suited to managing Standard III classes despite her previous teaching experience. Fears it will be some time before the pupils give satisfactory work under her.
- Jessie Shirreffs, 10th Sep 1900. Primrose Street Public School. Gives the number of pupils who moved from the Infant Department to Standard I classes as 32%.
- Jessie Shirreffs, 5th Oct 1900. Primrose Street Public School. Children of Weak Intellect. Unable to send any names of pupils for this.
- H F Morlund Simpson, 5th Sep 1900. Aberdeen Grammar School. German & French. Addresses Professor Paterson. Discusses the languages classes, hours of instruction (various tables given) and teachers involved.
- H F Morlund Simpson, 5th Sep 1900. Aberdeen Grammar School. Mr Lawrence’s Hours. Due to the large class sizes, Mr Lawrence must now take 4 additional hours per week up to a new total of 16. These are mainly for Book-Keeping and Shorthand in the Modern classes.
- H F Morlund Simpson, 10th Sep 1900. Aberdeen Grammar School. Bible Instruction, Enrolments, German. Gives figures for times and pupil numbers for each of these.
- H F Morlund Simpson, 10th Sep 1900. Aberdeen Grammar School, the Rector. Asks for a loan of Sir H Craik’s Report on Higher Schools and the Leaving Certificate Examination to sort out his thoughts for the Board.
- H F Morlund Simpson, 11th Sep 1900. Aberdeen Grammar School. Leaving Certificates, Claims for Graph Certificates. Includes a list of 11 pupils (named, with levels and subjects) eligible to claim Graph Certificates.
- H F Morlund Simpson, 15th Sep 1900. Aberdeen Grammar School. Leaving Certificates 1900. Has obtained a copy of Sir H. Craik’s Report from which he has deduced the fees. Wants these added to his report as they will interest the Board. P.31 of the report states a special form is needed from the department.
- H F Morlund Simpson, 18th Sep 1900. Aberdeen Grammar School. Letter on 5 pages split across two sheets. Statistics of September 1898, ’99, and 1900. Discusses school enrolment figures in detail.
- H F Morlund Simpson, 26th Sep 1900. Aberdeen Grammar School. Asks for the help of officers to take charge of the front and west gates of the playing fields for the sports on Friday and Saturday.
- H F Morlund Simpson, 4th Oct 1900. Aberdeen Grammar School. Brebner Prize. Discusses the nature and cost of the prizes and also enquires about the Johnston Prize.
- H F Morlund Simpson, 5th Oct 1900. Aberdeen Grammar School, the Rector. M… Fees. Discusses fees due by Mr Macdonald and his educational and bursary history, partially in connection with Gordon’s College.
- H F Morlund Simpson, 9th Oct 1900. Aberdeen Grammar School. Group Certificates. Sent details of 10 applicants. He is still waiting on the form and certificates from Robert E Gilchrist. Asks if he may also send in applications for John M Robertson and William H Sutherland, listing their qualifications.
- H F Morlund Simpson, 10th Oct 1900. Aberdeen Grammar School, the Rector. Claims for Group Certificates. Asks for the mathematics certificate to be added to Alexander A Moir’s claim.
- H F Morlund Simpson, 10th Oct 1900. Aberdeen Grammar School. Circular 296 & Minute, 24th Aug 1900. Has considered curriculum and grant changes that may occur and is willing to meet the Board’s sub-committee.
- H F Morlund Simpson, 23rd Oct 1900. Aberdeen Grammar School. Group Certificates. Enclosed 2 of the 11 applied for. Regrets that Alfred Milne should be refused - the conditions state that the lower grades may be accepted as equivalent for the highers in certain conditions – these explicitly exclude mathematics. Lists Milne’s other achievements and discusses problems he interprets in the rules.
- H F Morlund Simpson, 23rd Oct 1900. Aberdeen Grammar School, the Rector. Mr Pope sent 11 works to the department this year and ten were returned yesterday. Sends a memo receipt of the missing item.
- H F Morlund Simpson, 27th Oct 1900. Aberdeen Grammar School. Leaving Certificates Percentages. Table enclosed showing the highest to lowest percentages in the Leaving Certificates, 1892-1900 – with some comments. Main letter goes into more detail.
H F Morlund Simpson, 30th Oct 1900. Aberdeen Grammar School. Science & Art Exams. Asks if the department has worked out this year’s grant for these subjects. This information is needed to compare the old and new schemes.
- H F Morlund Simpson, 31st Oct 1900. Aberdeen Grammar School. Subscriptions to the Museum. Is disappointed that an objection was raised by a parent when he had explicitly made clear to the boys that this was a voluntary endeavour, although he hoped the Board would find it expensive enough to provide cases for the exhibits. Discusses other sources of funding and stock. Includes a copy printed note dated 26th Oct 1900 stating he has asked manufacturers for samples of their display cases – to meet the costs of these plus transport he has asked the pupils for a subscription between 1d to 6d each.
- H F Morlund Simpson, 9th Nov 1900. Aberdeen Grammar School. Vacancy. Mr Watt leaves today. Cover for his mathematics class has been arranged among the other staff. Other classes can be given to Mr Allan. Asks if any temporary staff are available and if Mr Canks [?] giving private tuition in town would be suitable and available. He is known here only as a coach for backward boys. [See John Watt, 12th Oct 1900].
- H F Morlund Simpson, 10th Nov 1900. Aberdeen Grammar School. Leaving Certificate Exam. Discusses minutiae around mathematical subject tables (not present with the letter) which the Board is interested in.
- H F Morlund Simpson, 12th [?] Nov 1900. Aberdeen Grammar School. H C F [?] Milne’s Group Certificate. Thanks the clerk for his work on behalf of the school and is pleased to have secured this recognition for a very meritorious pupil.
- H F Morlund Simpson, 18th Nov 1900. Aberdeen Grammar School, the Rector. Sends application of John M Robertson for a Graph Certificate along with his Leaving Certificate.
- J L Skea, 6th Sep 1900. St. Paul Street Public School. Compains about the bullying treatment he has received from the parent of a girl who was punished for inattention. Worries his other teachers might suffer the same. Took it as a compliment, however, to be told he was “the most independent person for a public servant that ever he has met”. A note from the clerk on the top of the page clarifies the family moved over to Hanover Street School.
- J L Skea, 7th Sep 1900. St. Paul Street Public School, head teacher. Gives the number of pupils who moved from the Infant Department to Standard I classes as 40%.
- J L Skea, 18th Sep 1900. St. Paul Street Public School. Gives the number of pupils (boys, girls) enrolled in the Standard V & VI classes. Signed also presumably by the teacher, J A Kidd.
- J L Skea, 19th Sep 1900. St. Paul Street Public School. Gives the number of pupils (boys, girls) enrolled in the Shorthand Standard V & VI classes. Signed also presumably by the teacher, J A Kidd.
- J L S, 6th Oct 1900. 269 Great Western Road, Aberdeen. New Teachers in St. Paul Street. Discusses new hires at the school. Is positive about Miss Emily McKessan and Miss Lily Ogilvie but more critical of Miss Fraser, while admitting she is working to overcome her faults. Has had enquiries from Miss Dawson and Miss Beattie about pay levels.
- P Smart, 7th Sep 1900. Frederick Street Public School. Gives the number of pupils who moved from the Infant Department to Standard I classes as 25.5%.
- P Smart, 17th Sep 1900. Frederick Street Public School. Received four dozen school bibles to be marked as school property.
- P Smart, 18th Sep 1900. Frederick Street Public School. Gives the numbers of pupils (boys, girls) in Standard V & VI classes.
- P Smart. 8th Oct 1900. Frederick Street Public School. Regarding the children of weak intellect query, he has no “real imbecile” at the school, but some “are sadly deficient in some departments of the brain more especially the arithmetical. In fact, they seem almost blank in that department”.
- P Smart, 15th Oct 1900. Frederick Street Public School. If either Miss Robertson or Miss Walker got a transfer, he would prefer to receive Miss Fulton of 252 King Street as a substitute.
- P Smart, 15th Oct 1900. Frederick Street School. Miss Elizabeth Coutts of 8 Roslin Terrace would be best suited for the Infant Department vacancy, an important position.
- P Smart, 18th Oct 1900. Frederick Street Public School. Rooms I & II have infants, III has Standard I, IV has Standard II. Gives the roll and accommodation numbers for each of these. Princes Street Hall contains the higher Standard V section who will largely form next year’s Merit students. Cannot consent to doing away with this. Frederick Street Hall has the middle section of the Infants. Extra desks were installed in rooms III & IV to increase accommodation. The only way he can find to resolve the difficulty is to move Standard I into Frederick Street Hall, Standard II to the Salvation Army Hall, and thereby clear rooms III & IV for the Infants. The higher section of Standard V might also move to the Salvation Army Hall.
- P Smart, 19th Oct 1900. Frederick Street Public School. Lists the drawing qualifications for each of the school’s 10 teachers.
- P Smart, 31st Oct 1900. Frederick Street Public School. Wants the Standard V class be moved to the Salvation Army Hall on Monday as well as the other arrangements made then. Asks for Mr Wisely so he can move the desks on Saturday.
- P Smart, 9th Nov 1900. Frederick Street Public School. Asks if the Barracks can be accessed on Monday. If so, to send down Mr Wisely to get instructions about the desks, etc., as Smart is afraid of inspectors arriving that day.
- J B Spalding, 7th Sep 1900. York Street Public School. Over a 4 year average, finds that 33% of pupils went from the Infant Department into Standard I classes. He states this is insufficient for keeping up the senior school division.
- J B Spalding, 18th Sep 1900. York Street Public School. Gives the number of pupils (boys, girls) enrolled in the Standard V & VI classes.
- J B Spalding, 5th Oct 1900. York Street Public School. Children of Weak Intellect. All his pupils are capable of learning something, so he has none with this character.
- J B Spalding, 5th Oct 1900. 15 Forest Avenue, Aberdeen. Discusses progress of teacher Miss L McKenzie in Standard III classes with which hitherto she had little experience. Believes she could become a good teacher.
- William Stewart, 5th Nov 1900. 13 Richmond Terrace. Gives his Manual Instruction class timetables at Kittybrewster, Holburn, and Broomhill Schools.
- William A Stronach, 1st Nov 1900. Walker Road Evening School. About 30 boys and 20 girls are willing to attend gymnastics at the Crown Street gymnasium. He or another member of staff will be able to supervise them.
- William A Stronach, 2nd Nov 1900. Walker Road Evening School. Gives the average age of students taking Needlework as a single subject – 19 years.
- Louie Sutherland, 7th Nov 1900. Aberdeen High School for Girls. Asks if the ‘at home’ meeting of the Aberdeen W… Society can be held at the school. Expecting 50 or 60 ladies and gentlemen to arrive.
- A G Wallace, 4th Oct 1900. Central Public School. In the last session the Board arranged it that pupil-teachers were taught Practical Plane and Solid Geometry. The requirements for the Elementary Drawing Certificate have since changed and has thus re-arranged their instruction. 57 pupils are in the Perspective class. Mentions teachers Mr MacLeod and Mr McGregor.
- A G Wallace, 6th Oct 1900. Central Public School. Retention of pupils is the school’s greatest difficulty. Last season 126 out of 443 left, many of whom only joined the previous year. The greatly disrupts the classes and points towards the school being used as a kind of waiting area until something more suitable – occupation or otherwise - turns up. Has provided lists for boys and girls to show the initial occupations taken up by those children who left last session. The tables show when the children left, how many left, and the type of work they went on to start. The most common reasons for girls were to work at home, become pupil-teachers, join civil service & typewriting classes, and ill-health. For boys they were to work in offices, enter trades, or become message-boys. Wallace offers suggestions to improve things based on these figures, including the school starting its own typewriting classes, adding a question to the registration forms asking how long they intend to stay, and by specialising in more Civil Service courses.
- A G Wallace, 6th Oct 1900. Central Public School. Asks that the Science & Art branch Perspective class be recognised as an evening class and also if the one register may be taken or if it must be split into two for the morning and evening classes.
- A G Wallace, 10th Oct 1900. Central Public School. No pupils attend who have weak intellect.
- A G Wallace, 26th Oct 1900. Central Public School. The allowance of science day classes for pupil teachers being taught at evening school rates must be renewed every year. Previously this was allowed on condition that practical classes were taught (last year this couldn’t be met due to the lack of laboratory space – being remedied) but this year the wording changed to include both theory and practice in at least one subject. Asks for the renewal with the same caveat as last year.
- A G Wallace, 25th Oct 1900. Central Public School. Has enquired among the higher classes and believes two lessons per week will be sufficient for the Typewriting course.
- A G Wallace, 27th Oct 1900. Central Public School. Last session Miss Mary S Smith assisted Miss Hector in Drawing classes – necessary due to their size and the limited number of lessons available due to pupil-teachers having half-day attendances. Currently there are 30 pupils in each Drawing class [Wallace has written pupil-teachers but this must be an error] leaving the teacher only 2 minutes of attention for each. Criticism and supervision is necessary and requires more time, hence Wallce requests the use of an assistant again.
- A G Wallace, 30th Oct 1900. Central Public School. Will arrange to have the use of the Congregational Church Hall for the sale of work.
- A G Wallace, 6th Nov 1900. Central Public School. Responding to enquiries from pupils, parents and other parties, wonders if those who have twice failed the pupil-teacher candidate exam may take it a third time in May. The Board issued an edict prohibiting this but it is not well known (the info is missing from the Application Schedule) and pupils think the contrary. Thinks it is unfair to have the decision made retroactive and instead it should only apply since the resolution was passed.
- A G Wallace, 13th Nov 1900. Central Public School. One of his teachers, Miss Garrow, is unclear on what subjects she needs to still take for her Elementary Drawing Certificate. The science directory has changed so much since she started on it 21 years ago. Lists the classes she has taken with results and years.
- Helen Watson, 7th Sep 1900. Rubislaw Public School. Gives the number of pupils who moved from the Infant Department to Standard I classes as 45%.
- Helen Watson, 21st Sep 1900. Rubislaw Public School. Gives the number of pupils (boys, girls) enrolled in the Standard V & VI classes.
- Helen Watson, 4th Oct 1900. Rubislaw Public School. Regarding underfed children and those of weak intellect, none of the pupils here fit those descriptions.
- Helen Watson, 17th Oct 1900. Rubislaw Public School. Addresses overcrowding concerns put forth in a recent H. M. Inspector’s report, giving roll, attendance, and accommodation figures.
- Robert Watson, 7th Sep 1900. Broomhill Public School, head teacher. Gives the number of pupils who moved from the Infant Department to Standard I classes as 38%.
- Robert Watson, 11th Sep 1900. Broomhill Public School. Requires enough desks for 30 pupils to be installed in the gymnasium for Miss Donald’s Cookery classes to write. An additional row of desks is also much in demand in Mr Johnston’s room.
- Robert Watson, 20th Sep 1900. Broomhill Public School, head teacher. As Standard IV class has now had to be split in two, he now requires the service of Miss Cummings at Gymnastics.
- R Watson, 20th Sep 1900. Broomhill Public School, head teacher. Gives the number of pupils (boys, girls) enrolled in the Standard V & VI classes.
- Robert Watson, 8th Oct 1900. Broomhill Public School. Children of Weak Intellect. No children fit this description.
- Robert Watson, 18th Oct 1900. Broomhill Public School. Sent the attendance figures for the 15th Oct to compare against the 17th Sep. The H. M. Inspector called on the 15th Oct. Discusses roll reductions in most of the rooms.
- John Watt, 12th Oct 1900. 15 Watson Street, Aberdeen. Resigns from the Grammar School to take up teaching mathematics in Sharp’s Institution, Perth. [See H F Morlund Simpson, 9th Nov 1900].
- M Webster, 7th Sep 1900. Walker Road Public School, head teacher. In reference to the work of Mr Campbell, the E.D.C. number is 10157.
- I M [?] Youngson, 28th Sep 1900. 11 Hosefield Avenue. Has been informed that Miss Shirreffs is more a saleswoman than a practical milliner. A good working milliner is required who can cut and prepare alongside her. Usually prefers an assistant recruited from her own workroom as the method of working will be the same. |