Old School Days

Sue Hodgetts took us back to the Victorian schoolroom and the history of Cusop School. Sue, in role as Annie White, teacher, traced the history of the establishment of Cusop School, setting its development in the context of that of the changing population and housing of the area. Details from School Board Minutes, including salaries, school improvements and resourcing as well as key events in the story of the school were placed in the context of national events up until its closure in 1942. A multimedia presentation, including pictures, letters and a wide variety of contemporary artefacts made the past come alive, contributing to a thoroughly engaging account of the early education of children at Cusop School from the late Victorian period. The comparative pay of male and female teachers; brutal treatment of left-handed children and those who spoke Welsh; the narrow focus of rote learning; the evident uncharitable impulses of the Hay Poisoner - just some of the discussions sparked by Sue’s presentation.