Toot Baldon
schoolchildren with schoolmaster William Lewis and
his daughter and assistant May Lewis, 1906
Early years of the school
There was some form of elementary school in Toot Baldon from at least the early 1800s until 1920. A school was officially recorded from 1815, but it is thought there was probably some kind of school for about 30 years prior to this.
The subsequent development of schooling in the village is described thus in The Victoria County History for Oxfordshire:
- In 1833 there existed two day schools for 58 children of both sexes, instructed at the expense of their parents. No details of the foundation are recorded but both schools were said to date from 1824.
- In 1838 these were replaced by a parochial school under the control of the Provost and Scholars of The Queen's College. It was reported in 1867 to be a good school.
The 1861 census for Toot Baldon records that Maryam Clark, aged 44, was a schoolmistress - presumably for the Toot Baldon school.
We have a particularly rich seam of information relating to the 1870s and 1880s, thanks to the writings and record-keeping of the vicar of Toot Baldon, Rev James C Ross. It is largely due to his efforts and considerable financial support that the school moved onto a proper footing during his tenure. Much of the rest of this article draws heavily on Ross’s material.
A time of reform
The Elementary Education Act 1870-71 brought about substantial changes to primary education - making elementary education available for all, introducing new standards and a regime of annual inspections. This would present new challenges and new opportunities for Toot Baldon School. The newly appointed vicar for Toot Baldon, Rev James C Ross (in post 1871 – 1888) seems to have been up to the challenge.
In 1871 the annual inspector’s report declared the school, with 36 children on the register, to be “deficient”. It recommended that the floor should be of wood, not brick, and that the children should be divided into age-based class groups. It was proposed that there should be weekly exams and greater strictness in relation to absenteeism.
At this stage there was a schoolmistress (name not stated but possibly a Miss Sarah Scarsbrook), on an annual salary of £25, but not a qualified schoolmaster (it was considered, by Ross, that only a man could undertake such a role!). The school finances were fairly meagre, relying on subscriptions from parents, from Bettons Charity (of The Ironmongers Company) and from the principal land-owners – The Queen’s College, the Willoughby Estate and, to a lesser extent, the Harcourt Estate. The parents of the 36 children attending in 1871 each paid 1 penny per week, or 2 pence if the school provided them with books.
West-facing aspect of Toot Baldon School, 1906, showing bell tower (no longer there)
In 1873 the Government Inspector found that the school’s discipline was “deficient” and there was an “urgent necessity for a change in the administration of the school”. James Ross recognised the need to act and decided that a qualified schoolmaster should be appointed, partly funded by himself.
From January 1874 a Mr Walter C Riley (or Wiley?) started as schoolmaster and “managed the school with great success” but, due to “unavoidable circumstances” (not specified), he had to resign. Therefore, in September 1875 a new master was appointed, Mr William Lewis from Shropshire, at an annual salary of £110. He remained the master until the school closed in 1920.
Along with reading, writing, arithmetic, religious studies and sewing (for the girls!), considerable importance was given to “regularity” (i.e. attendance) and to “conduct” (i.e. good behaviour). The list below shows the regularity and conduct scores for the 42 children attending the school at the end of 1875.
The new regime clearly was yielding results as the Government Inspector’s report from May 1876 stated that “this is a fine type of a successful Agricultural School” and “The tone and results please me greatly”.
In 1877 the sewing mistress, on an annual salary of £25, is named as Annie Fruin, but she vacated this roll in September and was replaced by Miss Celia Carr who, in April 1878, was herself replaced by Miss Sarah Clinkard. The Inspector’s report for this year concluded that “The results of the Examination in this little school are extremely creditable to the diligence and zeal of the master.”
In 1881, the school building suffered from a “wilful act of damage” by some of the children. It was decided that, as punishment, “payments of charity funds to their parents will stop until the cost of the damage is paid off”. Nonetheless the school continued to receive favourable reports, with the inspector saying it was “one of the best they had been to” and giving credit to Mr Lewis. In 1884, the Government inspection noted there were 99% exam passes, stating “this is an excellent school”. That same year the Diocesan Inspection stated that “The children are in capital order and well taught”.
Expansion
However, by 1886 the school was said to be in a crowded state, the average attendance of 49 pupils being too large. It was suggested that the roll should not be allowed to exceed 47 unless further accommodation was provided. The school was therefore enlarged during the summer vacation of 1886. This work included creating an additional classroom allowing up to a further 25 children, and erecting a turret on the roof, housing a bell which had formerly hung at St Lawrence’s Church.
In 1890 the school inspection stated that “a great deal of excellent work has been done for many years … recommend that the highest merit grant be awarded.” It also noted that a new code of instruction and regulation would come into force in August 1890.
James Ross resigned as vicar at the end of 1887 and the new vicar Rev G Forbes started in June 1888. Unfortunately, Rev Forbes was less forthcoming in his writings on school matters. We do know that the “School Treat” was held in August on the lawn at Court House, with tea provided by Mr & Mrs Radbone, after which various sports were played on Mr Aldworth’s field, including a cricket match between Baldon boys and Oxford boys, who “over-matched” the Baldons boys!
It was also noted that school fees would in future be paid by the Government instead of by the parents, and several complaints were made that those who had no children should be compelled to pay for the education of other people’s children.
The school closed in 1920, at which point the remaining 29 pupils transferred to Marsh Baldon School.
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South facing aspect of the school (1906) and ground plan (c.1910). Presumably the small building to the right of the photograph is the toilet. Note the dividing fence between the boys’ and girls’ playgrounds
Toot Baldon former school in 1984, after it had been converted to a dwelling
Many of the images in this article have been obtained courtesy of the Oxfordshire History Centre