EDUCATION

A rare collection of material, comprising the records of a Victorian parochial school, including registers, reports and government Education Department circulars on a range of subjects. Initial reports by H. M. Inspectors are addressed to Rev. R. H. Taylor, Kemble Vicarage, Cirencester, but by the end of the series the entire system has been reorganised, with the addressee now the Clerk to the School Board, Kemble. The manuscript index to the folder lists 128 numbered documents, but 29 are lacking, and an additional seven unnumbered items bring the actual number to 106.

2pp., 12mo. 24 lines. On the rectos of two leaves of a bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with neat thin strips of paper from mount adhering at head and tail of second page. He begins by acknowledging the safe receipt of the paper knife, and thanking her 'for the kindness & promptness of carrying out my wish. I certainly thought the article could not be entirely strange that it could not be discovered in six weeks'.

1p., 12mo. Fair, on aged paper, with traces of glue from mount adhering to blank reverse. He acknowledges receipt of her letter 'enclosing me a report of the Ladies Negro Education Society', and is sending a 'small donation in aid of its funds'.

Brochure: 4pp., 4to. Bifolium, printed in green and brown on yellow paper. With four photographs of children. Fair, on lightly-worn paper, with vertical crease to second leaf. Requesting help for 'Houses Workshops Farms': 'Are they not human beings like us? | Do they not all have similar rights? | Do they not deserve to live a life filled with work, duty and pleasure?' Mimeographed typed appeal: 3pp., 4to. On two leaves of paper stapled together by a corner. Headed 'The Botton Hall Estate, Danby, Whitby, North East Yorkshire'.

10pp., 4to. Printed on one side each of ten leaves, attached to one another by a staple in the top left-hand corner. Very good on lightly-aged paper.

8pp., 12mo. Fair, on aged paper, with small ink blot at head (not affecting text) and dogeared final leaf. The item deals with six aspects of the problem: 'The Child before the Television Screen'; 'General Damages and Dangers'; 'Atomising of the Soul'; 'The Nature of the Human Eye'; 'Injury of Other Senses'; 'A Problem of the Human Being'. It concludes: 'These leaflets are translated and issed by courtesy of the Verein zur Förderung eines erweiterten Heilwesens, of Stuttgart, with whom this new impulse in social hygiene originates.

1p., 12mo. Laid down on a leaf removed from an album. Fair, on aged and dusty paper, with slight creasing to one corner. Reads: 'I shall probably look in at your homes on Monday | Yrs trly | [signed] W Carus Wilson | Aug 26 | Carterton Hall | Kirby Lonsdale'. Wilson ran Clergy Daughters' school which the Bronte sisters attended (fictionalised as ''Lowood' in 'Jane Eyre'). Charlotte Bronte blamed the harsh conditions at the school for the early deaths of her two elders sisters, and for the ill-health of her younger sisters, Anne and Emily.

2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. Good, on lightly-aged paper. In original stamped and postmarked envelope, addressed by Smiles. The 'last photographic likeness' of Smiles 'was taken by Mr S. A. Walker, 230 Regent Street W'. Smiles has 'no doubt' that Walker will let Bacon 'have a copy' (i.e. Bacon will not be getting a free copy from Smiles). Smiles's book 'Physical Education' was 'published by me no less than 44 years ago. It had a small sale, and is now quite out of print. Though pretty good at the time, there are now far better works on the subject.'

All items in good condition, on lightly-aged paper. The letters total 33pp., 12mo; and 31pp, 16mo; with nine on 12mo bifoliums, seven on 16mo bifoliums and two on single 16mo leaves. Nine are on Southgate House letterheads, and two on Winchester College letterheads. All are complete except the last, which lacks the last part. Mostly addressed to 'My dear Aunty' and signed in a variety of ways, from 'J. Bowyer B. Nichols' to 'BBN'. The first letter, dated 4 December 1871, sets the tone, showing Bowyer Nichols to be a precocious and spirited twelve-year-old.

1p., 12mo. Good, on aged paper. She states that she will be 'happy to wait on Sir Stafford Northcote at 4 oclock on Wednesday the 30th instant as you mention'. Docketed by Benthall on reverse of second leaf of bifolium, 'Miss Carpenter | Oct: 15. 1867. | Will wait on you on Oct: 30. at 4 o'clock'. Benthall was described in Wisden as batting 'in an exceedingly pretty style, cutting beautifully to the off, and has made some capital scores in the best matches'.

3pp., 4to. Bifolium. Good, on lightly aged paper. The red wax seal has been cut away from the second leaf, with no loss to text. Addressed, on the reverse of the second leaf, to 'Miss Howard | Mr Jackson's | The Pike | Bolton | Favored by Mr. Harrison'. An affectionate letter from father to daughter. He begins by describing the pleasure he has had in reading her letter to her brother, 'and the more when I understood that you had not only written it, but composed it'. He feels she will 'profit every Day by the kind and good Instructions of your Cousin and Tutoress'.

Both letter and description on the same bifolium. Letter: 1p., 12mo. On recto of first leaf. Description (headed 'Johnian System of Marking'): lengthwise across the verso of the first leaf and recto of the second, and thus making 1p., 8vo. Very good, on lightly-aged paper. Calverley begins by wondering whether he has 'made the Johnian System [...] intelligible' in his description.

1p., 4to. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with remains of stub to reverse. His friend 'M Mallar' has come to Great Britain, 'recommended by the French government for the official purpose of looking into the state of education in Scotland'.

2pp., 12mo. On a leaf of wove paper with Britannia watermark. In fair condition, on aged paper with slight wear to extremities. In pencil at head 'Rev. J. Keate | Head Master of Eton'. Tipped in at the head is a slip of paper with an entry from a Victorian manuscripts catalogue describing the item, reading: 'KEATE (The Rev. John, D.D.). Head Master of Eton.

123pp., folio. Paginated. In contemporary brown tooled calf, with two metal clasps, and a metal ring at foot of rear board. Internally good and tight, on aged paper, in worn binding. A fair copy, neatly written out in a mid-eighteenth-century chancery hand, with the body of text on each page bordered by two vertical red lines. The Free Grammar School of King Edward VI in Berkhamsted was founded by John Incent, Dean of St Paul's, in 1541.

1p., 12mo. On aged and creased paper, with short vertical closed tear at head (not affecting text). The letter reads: 'Dear Sir | By a sad mistake the Copies of my Letter to the Students were not sent off on Saturday | But 250 have been struck off which will sufficiently answer for the present demand - | Yours in haste | [signed] T. Campbell

1p., 4to. On recto of first leaf of bifolium, with verso of second carrying the address and two postmarks. Good, on lightly-aged paper. 'At last I have the pleasure', Mavor begins, 'to find that the Eton grammar with Notes is published, and I flatter myself you will have a rapid Sale, as its superior advantages over other Editions of the same work will certainly entitle it to a preference, when ever it is known.' His friend 'Mr. Phillips' has forwarded an order for '25 Copies in part of the stipulated number I was to receive'.

1p., 4to. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Meriam is enclosing a 'copy of bill appropriating $350 per annum for two years for the education &c of Onondaga Indian Children which was signed by the Governor on the 5th Inst'. The letter ends with Meriam reporting the receipt of two letters. Syracuse University Library holds a collection of 'Ebenezer Meriam Letters on Onondaga Indian Education', including eight from May.

Letter One: 4to, 3 pp. 66 lines of text. Good, on lightly-aged paper, with a small hole in the second leaf caused by the cutting away of the seal, resulting in minor loss to a few words of text. Addressed, on verso of second leaf of bifolium, to 'Professor Ticknor | Boston | Mass.' Undated, but with red postmark dating the letter to December, and docketed by Ticknor 'S. [sic] Long. | Dec. 1825.' Long responds to a request from Ticknor for information regarding 'the nature & tenure of our Fellowship' at Cambridge.

1p., 8vo. Bifolium, addressed, with red ink postmark, on the reverse of the second leaf, to 'Capt. A. Partridge | Middletown | Cont.' Good, on lightly-aged paper. Written during the three years that Partridge's American Literary, Scientific and Military Academy was situated at Middletown.

On one side of piece of paper approximately 18 x 8.5 cm. Neatly placed in a windowpane mount of laid paper, 25 x 20 cm. Good, on lightly-aged paper. Written in a clear, firm hand: 'John Hunter LL.D. | Profr. of Humanity | St. Andrews. | Fife.' Beneath this, along the foot of the page, in a small hand (identified in note on mount as 'The writing of Dr Dick, author of "The Christian Philosopher &c'): 'Dr Hunter is about 90 years of age, and still retains his bodily & mental vigour | This Autograph was written in Feby. 1834. T. D.'

4to, 1 p. Good, on aged paper, with light traces of mount on reverse. Giving the results of his enquiries 'with regard to the statement attributed to one of our Inspectors by a speaker at the January Educational Conference at University College', with reference to W. N. Bruce.

Both items in fair condition, on lightly-aged paper, with traces of mount on reverses. Letter One: 4to, 1 p. He is away from the office and out of town, and has asked 'P. O'Donoghue, who deals with publications for the News Chronicle', to get in touch with him: 'I know you will find his counsel very sound'. Letter Two: Thanking him for his endorsement of his book. 'There is nothing that could possibly give an author greater encouragement than to receive such informed and stimulating words from someone such as yourself.'

4to, 27 pp. Stitched. In original printed wraps. Text clear and complete. On aged paper, in worn and torn wraps. Stamps of the Education Department Library. Written in English, and filled with information about the educational systems of Europe, including Great Britain. Appendix (pp.26-27) of 'Data for the Sketch of a Map of Primary Instruction in 1880.' Scarce: no copy in the British Library or on COPAC; and the only copy on WorldCat at Harvard, where it is attributed to Vallin.

Folio, 4 pp, on one skin of vellum folded to make a bifolium. Aged, in fair condition. The certificate is boldly printed in calligraphic style, with royal crest. Printed over four pages, with the first three completed in manuscript. Signed by the Vice President, 'W. E. Forster'. With three official stamps, the last stating that 'This certificate is raised to the 1st class July 1886'. Records that Mrs Caron studied at Norwich Training College. Ten brief reports, dated and signed, by the following seven inspectors of schools: 'Frederic W H Myers', 'D J Stewart'; 'Walter Bailey' (3); 'J G C.

On one side of a piece of laid paper, 55 x 44 cm. Good, on lightly-aged paper. 131-box table giving the tutors (and their colleges) over twelve weeks for each of eleven subjects from 'Nat. Phil.' to 'Ling.' Among the many tutors the following only in capitals: 'Ds HEWITT ex Aede Christi', 'Ds HANMER ex Aedi Christi', 'Ds JOYCE e Aul. S. Edm.', 'G. C. AGAR ed Aede Christi', 'Ds MACDONALD ex Aede Christie', 'Ds MACKENSIE ex Aede Christi', 'Ds CRAWLEY e Coll. Pemb.', 'Ds HUDSON e Coll. Magd.' and 'Ds G. BOWYER, Bart. ex Aede Christi'.

8vo, 23 pp. In original yellow printed wraps. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper; wraps worn and with slight loss to a couple of corners. Red label on rear cover: 'Education Department. Reference Department.' Library stamp and shelf marks on front cover and title page. Signed in type at end: 'ADAM CROOKS, | Minister of Education.

8vo, 40 pp. In original grey printed wraps. Unopened. Text clear and complete. Fair, on lightly-aged paper, with slight wear to wraps and negligible worming to margins. Presentation copy from the author.

8vo, [vi] + 36 pp. In original blue printed wraps. Text clear and complete. Aged, and with staple hole to top inner corner; in worn wraps. Stamp on front wrap of the 'Education Department Library', with red 'Education Department. Reference Library.' label on back wrap. Pp. 5-23 give a 'General Plan of Education in Girls' Schools in Scandinavia' (in eleven subsections) and discuss 'The Education of Girls after the End of the Ordinary School Course'. Also included are 'Philanthropic Schools' for 'Deaf Mutes' and 'Deformed and Crippled Children and Adults'.

16mo, 15 pp. Fair, on lightly aged paper. Signature mark 'B' at foot of first page. Paginated [1]-15. Red label of the Board of Education Reference Library on the blank reverse of the last leaf, and shelf-mark at foot of first page. Stitched into modern brown wraps with typed label. Includes the 'Regulations of the Ladies Committee', pp 9-13, and a list of officers and members, pp 14-15, under 'Patroness, Her Majesty. | Vice-Patronesses, Their Royal Highnesses the Princesses. | President. The Right Hon. Lady Teignmouth.' The twenty-seven members, mostly noble, include 'Mrs. Wilberforce'.