Crofton Park’s history is the history of the growth of the suburbs across the whole of the UK.
The introduction of compulsory education is a good example.
In 1870, William Forster steered his education act through parliament, the first step towards compulsory state education for all children. Local school boards were established to build and run schools. Crofton Park was part of the Greenwich school area, and its member of the School Board for London was Benjamin Waugh. He was a Congregational minister and became famous later as the founder of the NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children).
Across the country, the Anglican church (Church of England) already ran some schools so the government said that school boards should build schools were there was no existing provision. Nationally and locally, this was controversial: thousands of people in Crofton Park worshipped at Methodist and other non-Conformist churches, and did not want their children to go to Anglican-run schools, or be taught Anglican versions of Christianity. People from other religions and other Christian sects, and secularists all objected.
The first school to open in Lewisham under the new act was in Crofton Park: Grove Road Board School, known today as Dalmain Primary School opened 150 years ago, in 1874. It is the oldest school state school in the borough and was built on the corner of Brockley Rise and Grove Road.
Dalmain has an extensive archive, including log books dating back to the day the school opened on 13 April 1874, together with photographs covering school plays, sports days and trips going back to the 1920s. They provide a fascinating insight into the development of the school and its place in the area.
The log books show that within days, children were sitting exams for scholarships from Lewisham – these scholarships would enable children to stay on at school, past the minimum leaving age.
There were frequent visitors; on 11th May, the headteacher writes ‘Visit of surprise from Mr Stewart who recommended change of teachers from class to class as the shewed progress breaking through the standards…I agree with the principle involved. The arguments are good but the New Code and the examination by standards compel me to work to standards. I fear also the change of teachers from class to class relieves all my assistants from every responsibility with regard to the state of their classes and the attainment of the children. Every defect would be attributed to the predecessor.’
Miss Horsfield gave First Class Domestic Economy lesson
Gave the First Class Geography Lesson – Mountains of Ireland reproduced
Much inconvenienced for want of stores from the Board – no ink, no exercise books, and so on.’
Despite the new laws, attendance was a problem. In 1875, the Kentish Mercury reported Benjamin Waugh’s findings in cases where parents were summoned because their children had not been at school.
‘One sitting – 535 cases were summoned before the divisional member whose turn it was to sit for their hearing and of these, 30 attended. In 14 cases father’s, mother’s, baby’s illness pleaded as excuses…Excuses accepted as reasonable in the past and half-time attendance allowed for the future, as long as the painful domestic circumstances continued. In eight cases, non-attendance and irregularity was explained on temporary grounds with promise of speedy resumption of school; in all the cases, notices suspended. In one case, no shoes; case referred to the Educational Aid Society. In two cases, from extreme poverty, could not pay the fee for school; both cases recommended to the board for remission of payment of fees. In nine cases, no satisfactory reasons given, evident indifference to the children’s welfare; in these cases further opportunity given to voluntarily comply with the law, and in case of non-compliance, taken before the magistrate.’
Magistrates could fine parents but this was not always a deterrent. In 1877, a boy brought before local magistrates had earned £2 and was fined only 5s (25p).
By the end of the century, additional laws meant compulsory and free education for all children up to the age of 14. Between 1870 and 1902, when the School Board for London was replaced by local education authorities, the LSB had built over 400 schools. Locally, these included Brockley Road School (now Beecroft Gardens), which opened in 1894; Gordonbrock, and Mantle Road (now John Stainer Community School).
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