The Education of the Poor

Originally published 1974. Thousands of elementary schools for the children of the poor were founded during the nineteenth century, yet there is scarcely a published history of a single one of them. This volume is precisely such a history and the authors trace its story against the background of local and national change in education and society. On the basis of a unique collection of records the authors have pieced together a picture of the social composition of the school, its curriculum and teaching methods, and its administration and finance. They relate the history of the school to that of London and the church, to that of educational authorities and educational policy.

Pamela Silver

Chapter 1 Social change and the education of the poor to 1820; Chapter 2 The Kennington National Schools; Chapter 3 Schooling 1824-40; Chapter 4 Achievement and crisis 1840-60; Chapter 5 The Schools and the community to 1860; Chapter 6 The Schools under the Revised Code 1863-70; Chapter 7 Earnest, reverent and efficient 1870-1900; Chapter 8 Non-provided, voluntary aided, primary: the twentieth century;