| Description | 13/2/1907-16/4/1907
• J. D. Anderson. Head Teacher, Ferryhill Public School. 27 March 1907. Letter of concern to the School Board to advise that average size of each class is 68 pupils.
• J. D. Anderson. Head Teacher, Ferryhill Public School. 21 March 1907. Letter to the School Board to advise of the poor attendance of the Stephen boys – William [DOB 22.1.99] and Gordon [DOB – not given]. Correspondence from “G. G.” and J. C. Gausou is included with letter.
• Isabella W. Angus. Teacher of French, Central School 4 April 1907. Letter to School Board to request a transfer to The Girls’ High School as Assistant Mistress of French.
• James Campbell. Head Teacher, Marywell Street Public School. 25 February 1907. Letter to the School Board providing information about Scripture Teaching in the School including the teaching of Temperance. The letter states that the school currently uses McDougall’s Laws of Health textbook and would not welcome the introduction of the new Health Reader as Mr Campbell feels the curriculum is already overloaded.
• James Campbell. Head Teacher, Marywell Street Public School. 11 March 1907. Letter to the School Board with step by step details relating to the alleged overpayment of 18/- to Mrs Clapperton, 67 College Street a parent of a girl pupil [name not given] at the school.
• John F. Cruickshank. Head Teacher, Mile-End Public School. 26February 1907. Memo to the School Board to advise of the perfect attendance of Mary Lumsden during the year 1903 1904.
• James Findlay. Head Teacher, Rosemount Public School. 1 March 1907. Letter to the School Board regarding the attendance of Mary Lumsden.
• James Findlay. Head Teacher, Rosemount Public School. 21 March 1907. Letter to the School Board providing information, in detail, about the Scripture Teaching including the teaching of Temperance and the “evils of intemperance.” Health teaching is also referred to.
• A. Mackenzie Forbes. Teacher in the Central School. Letter to the School Board requesting a leave of absence to reside abroad to improve her French and teaching of the subject.
• A. Mackenzie Forbes. Teacher in the Central School. 30 April 1907. Letter to the School Board, including a doctor’s note, requesting a transfer on behalf of the letter writer’s sister Georgina Forbes. The transfer is requested, on grounds of ill health, from Porthill School to one nearer Ms Forbes home of 35 Beaconsfield Place with the suggestion of Ashley Road School.
• Alexander Forbes. Head Teacher, Holburn Street Public School. 27 March 1907. Letter to the School Board providing information on Scripture Teaching and the promotion of Temperance and the consequences of intemperance. The use of “The Health Readers” is also referred to.
• Thomas C. Hynd. Head Teacher, King Street Public School. 20 March 1907. Letter to the School Board requesting “machines” to support teaching. A typewriter is requested to support two blind pupils and a sewing machine to support the teaching of all the girls. Mr Hynd includes a typewritten letter by Annie L. Adams, teacher, supporting the teaching of typewriting of the blind to increase employability.
• Thomas C. Hynd. Head Teacher, King Street Public School. 22 & 26 March 1907. Letters to the School Board regarding Swimming Lessons. The letter of 22 March request appointment of a lady teacher for the girls. The letters (2) of 26 March stated that the subject does not appear to attract as many as previously, but 240 “Cards of Admissions” are requested.
• John R. Jack. Head Teacher, Walker Road Public School. 9 February 1907. Letter to the
School Board regarding the new classification arrangements in schools instigated by H. M. Inspectors. The matter is in the School Board’s Minutes of February 1907 but Mr Jack’s letter is much more detailed.
• John R. Jack. Head Teacher, Walker Road Public School. 25 March 1907. Letter to the School Board in reply to their request on Scripture and Temperance teaching in schools. Mr Jack gives a detailed reply and includes the information that the school currently recommends “a little book” Plain Words on Duty and Conduct for Boys and Girls at School, E. J. Arnold (Educational Publishers).
• D. Lothian. Head Teacher, Sunnybank Public School. Undated but in reply to Circular Letter from the School Board of 18 March 1907. The letter provides the Scripture Lesson times and frequency, the letter also provides in detail the areas taught in the Laws of Health.
• William D. MacLean. Head Teacher, Kittybrewster Public School. 13 & 20 February 1907. Letters to the School Board regarding a pupil Alexander D. McKay aged 13 who was a candidate for the Watt Bursary to provide finance of £5, £6 and £9 over three years to allow him to attend the Central School. However, Alexander’s family decided, although grateful for the offer, that he would sit the Gordon’s College Bursary Examination instead.
• John McBain. Head Teacher, High School for Girls. 6 March 1907. Letter to the School Board, regarding a pupil Muriel Collie, as a follow up to his letter of complaint in September [i.e. in 1906 collection of letters] regarding free place pupils. Muriel’s mother Mrs Collie, as requested by L. P. Savage, Teacher, High School for Girls in a letter dated 5 March 1907, had written to the school regarding Muriel’s lateness. However, Mr McBain regarded the letter as impertinent he also comments that Mrs Collie “acts most imprudently in allowing her girl to walk about with boys.”
o Agnes E. Rae. Teacher [probably music teacher], High School for Girls. 18 March 1907. Letter to the School Board regarding Muriel Collie who is described as “a good pupil in music but inclined to be careless and lazy” and could not be made to be on time for the morning class.
• John McBain. Head Teacher, High School for Girls. 8 April 1907. Letter to the School Board about the charity work of the school which had been ongoing for 14 years since the original visit by Miss Rouse a representative of the Students’ Volunteers Mission, Cambridge. Mission schools in India and China had been supported.
• J. McGregor. Head Teacher, Old Aberdeen Public School. Letter to the School Board to ask if exception, in the case of pupils summoned to be witnesses at a Court of Justice cases, could be made and not prevent them from having possible perfect attendance.
• John Peter. Head Teacher, Hanover Street School. 22 March 1907. Reply to the School Board request for information on Scripture Teaching. The letter includes a copy of the Aberdeen School Board, Scripture Knowledge, Instruction to Teachers.
• J. Skea. Head Teacher, St Paul Street Public School. 10 April 1907. Letter to the School Board advising that James Anderson had absented himself from school but said he had an exemption which Mr Skea had not seen. Mr Skea advises the School Board that he thinks there is “some underhand work going on with G. Gall Esq. which needs enquiring with.”
• Anges Shepherd. Teacher, Woodside School. 11 March 1907 and 9 April 1907. Letters to the School Board regarding an on going absence due to illness. In the letter of 11 March Ms Shepherd refers to a “promise” from the School Board of a transfer, to a school nearer her home in Victoria Street, to help improve her health. The letter does not indicate if this is Victoria Street in Torry of the centre of town.
• H. F. M. Simpson. Head Teacher, Aberdeen Grammar School. 26 February 1907. Letter to the School Board regarding Circular 368 with a query about qualifications for Leaving and Intermediate Certificates. Mr Simpson’s query particularly relates to particular pupils
o David Semple
o Geo. Marlaws
o Andrew Duncan
o Herbert James
o Ernest Lyon
o David Sharp
o Colin Selbie
o Geo. Beath
o Geo. Fraser
o Go Khek Ghee
o Go Khek Law
o Ian Ogg
• H. F. M. Simpson. Head Teacher, Aberdeen Grammar School. 7 March 1907. Letter to the School Board regarding lapsed scholarships and allocation of scholarships.
• Christina L. Thomson. Infant Mistress, Walker Road School. 4 March 1907. Letter to the School Board requesting an increase in salary. In support of her application Ms Thomson gives details of the numbers of children attending the Infant Department and the size of classes.
• William Thomspon. On St John’s Public School Headed Paper. 10 April 1907. Letter to School Board in praise of the education his daughter had received at the Central School which had contributed to her then having graduated with First Class Honours in Mathematics and Natural Philosophy and also being awarded the Bodall Prize for Mathematics [writing unclear could be Bo?all] of £28.00.
• George Tough. 23 March 1907. Letter to the School Board to say he would not pay for the repair of the gate of King Street Public School damage by his horse. Mr Tough advised that the school gate was broken when his horse had been startled when a military band had suddenly commenced playing and therefore not his responsibility.
• A. G. Wallace. Head Teacher, Central H. G. School. 19 February 1907. Letter to the School Board to report that Mary Lumsden had perfect attendance since entering the school in August 1904.
• A. G. Wallace. Head Teacher Central Higher Grade School. 19 February 1907. Letter to the School Board regarding Edith Ferrier and her presentation for enrolment in a Supplementary Course but the lack of evidential records of Old Rayne Female Public School were causing a problem.
• A. G. Wallace. Head Teacher Central Higher Grade School. 6 March 1907 and 25 March 1907. Letter to the School Board regarding the loss of the overcoat and gloves belonging to the pupil William Cordiner. Follow up letter regarding the lost overcoat following a comment from the Rev. Murray.
• A. G. Wallace. Head Teacher Central Higher Grade School. 15 March 1907. Letter to the School Board regarding Marjory Brown and Christian Munro who belonged to St Andrew’s Episcopal School. Mr Wallace did not wish take any responsibility regarding the two pupil-teachers passing the Intermediate Certificate as they had only entered as students in the previous November.
• Cumming v. Watson – alleged assault on pupil George Cumming.
o Scott & Morrison, Advocates. Correspondence to the School Board giving chronological steps of correspondence between parties involved in the Cumming v. Watson case.
o John Watson. Writing from 43 Gray Street. 30 March 1907. Letter to the School Board regarding the complaint that had been raised by James Cumming, parent of George Cumming who had allegedly been assaulted by Mr Watson. Mr Watson admits slapping George and shaking him but denies hurting him as described in the complaint. |