Page 8 - National School
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Redditch Heritage                                                                   The National School




        The Roman Catholic school in Beoley Road arrived in 1852 with a new school in 1868. In 1859 a
        Wesleyan Day School was built in Ipsley Street. In 1871 another large Wesleyan School was built in
        Bridge Street known, of course, as Bridge Street Elementary School, now renamed Holyoakesfield
        First School after an old established family of needlemasters. A Baptist school arrived in 1876 in
        George Street. There was a school at the Congregational Church and new classrooms were built in
        1910.

        By 1851, there had been a great improvement in school attendance. A third of children under five and
        four fifths of those aged between five and thirteen were attending school. Perhaps it was Lady Harriet
        who promoted this interest in education, the Windsor family were subscribers to almost every building
        and extension fund in the district. Or perhaps it came about because of the work of John Osborne,
        who taught in Redditch from 1827 to 1848 and became headmaster of the National School. A report
        said that his Christian principles had 'a civilising and benign influence acting upon and improving the
        manners of the people". Several sources say that during those twenty years the town changed from
        a lawless and violent district to a reasonably quiet, respectable neighbourhood.

        IIn the last half of the nineteenth century, education became a political hot potato'.

        School attendance was made compulsory in 1880 and if your child did not attend, the Attendance
        Officer came knocking at your door, in Redditch he was known as the 'Whip-per-in'. However, even
        poor families had to pay, free education or reduced fees did not arrive until ten years later.




        Sunday Schools
        The church realised that it was no use building schools when many youngsters were involved in
        needle-making all day and so they provided education, combined with Christian teaching, on a Sunday.

        John Xoake remarked in 1855. 'The Sunday Schools had 257 boys and 229 girls, organised most
        efficiently by Mr Osborne". These numbers pale into insignificance when compared with those of
        1893. On August 30th of that year. 1,650 Sunday School children marched round the streets of the
        town, carrying flags and banners. They were accompanied by 130 teachers and the youngest children
        were taken round in waggons at the rear. After tea they went to two fields off Millsbro' Road where
        they played races and games; two bands were supplied for dancing.




        The School Realised
        The Reverend Fessey's letter of 1844 warning that a Wesleyan School was soon to he built, seems
        to have worked. The National Society almost immediately gave a generous grant tor the building of a
        National school, later known as St Stephen's.

        Reverend  Fessey  worked  hard  to  establish  the  new  school.  He  persuaded  Lady  Harriet  and  her
        husband to give a piece of land in an 'elevated and salubrious spot' at the far end of newly laid out
        Peakman Street. He collected subscriptions from needlemakers.
        William Hemming alone promised to give £100. He found a builder. Mr Hill. The boys had a large
        classroom, so did the girls. There was also a small infant schoolroom, a committee room, a dwelling
        house, a playground and outbuildings. The fee was about 2d per week, a lot of money in the days
        when £2 a week was a good wage. The official opening in 1846 was presided over by Rev Fessey
        and was very grand. The teachers decorated the room with wreaths of laurel and evergreens. On the
        southern end a display of dahlias read

                                                       MAY GOD





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