The following article has been reproduced from a booklet "A
History of Upper Parkstone (beginning to 1939)" by Ms
Patricia M Wilnecker, . It gives a fascinating insight into the early
days of Parkstone and Branksome and is available locally. We thank Ms Wilnecker
for her kind permission to reproduce it here.
There was a school called St. Aldhelm's
at least as early as 1877 when there was accommodation for 185 pupils in a
building 79 feet long by 18ft 9in wide by 27 feet high. On 21st February of that
year the school log is noted 'I, Eliza Short take charge of this school assisted
by two paid monitresses', and on 27th February she went on to note ' I
find the children so backward that I cannot possibly have more than a first and
second standard'!
However, by 1878 the inspectors' report remarked 'as far as the instruction goes
it is good. The order is well kept. It is a promising school'.
On 27th September 1880 Emily Morris took charge, with Miss Aris as Assistant
Mistress, and a paid monitor. On 1st October that year Miss Morris reported that
'the school has been much neglected of late. The greater part of the week has
been occupied in reducing the children to something like order'!
The building in Langley Road was designated in 1876 by G E Street FA and built
in 1880 and 1886. The Headmaster was Philip Slade with Miss Maud Titman being in
charge of the girls. The infants were in the care of Miss Harriet Leavor.
In the inspector’s report of 1887 we find that ‘a good examination has been
passed ….English shows much improvement and is now well
prepared and Geography is good’.
This upward trend seems to have continued, as on 16th December 1892 the log is
noted ‘ the discipline is excellent…and the children
attentive and interested in their work. Reading is intelligent…the rest of the
elementary work is very well done…and needlework is now excellent.
The log goes on to report that ‘the school was enlarged in 1895 and was very
much crowded on several occasions, but the erection of new buildings in three
new districts has relived the pressure in these schools which were the pioneers
of elementary education in this neighbourhood’.
All did not run smoothly however, as the punishment book for 1903 has the
following entries:
Daisy Toop received two strokes on the hand for throwing down a book and
stamping on it. When the book fell on the teacher’s foot, Daisy said “Good
job too!”.’
Rose Clark received two strokes for rolling over a desk and laughing’!
One of the teachers to have served the longest was Miss Woodward (1903-1946).
Miss Woodward taught Ms
Wilnecker's brother on his first day at school in 1931. He didn’t want to
go, and kicked Miss Woodward on the shins!. She was known as ‘rather strict’,.
so Ms Wilnecker expects he regretted it later.
Miss James was appointed in 1917, Miss Scammel in 1922 and Miss Colwell in 1925.
All three were still going strong in the 1940s. Miss Keats started in 1923. She
became Head of the Girls’ Department as was also still teaching in the War
years.
Another teacher who had a long career at St.Aldhelm’s was Mrs Hinch, who
taught the Infants from 1932 until 1961
Well remembered amongst the boys’ teachers were Mr Searle, Mr Wilcox, Mr Bull
and Mr Turner in the 1920/30s.
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Teachers |
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Infants and Girls. |
Boys |
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