Yateley Village School
Text from the 1993 Exhibition 'Yateley in 1878' researched and wriiten by Norma Dowling & Irene Draper
Yateley's school, like most of those in country areas, was run on guide lines set by the National Society for the Education of the Poor in the Principles of the Established Church, a Church of England organisation founded in 1811.
The first National school in Yateley was situated on Cricket Hill in 1834. It later became the Cottage Hospital and was on the site of the present Heathlands Court. However by 1865 an H.M. Inspector reported:
' The present buildings are quite unsuitable for the school,
and no time should be lost in providing another schoolroom.'
The building work seems to have progressed well for on 17 January 1866 the new school was inaugurated by the Bishop of Winchester and opened on 22 January when 21 new children were admitted, these were probably infants as provision was now made for them.
'Ah, there's too much of that sending to school in these days! It only does harm. Every gatepost and barn's door you come to is sure to have some bad word or other chalked upon it by the young rascals: a women can hardly pass for shame some times. If they'd never been taught how to write they wouldn't have been able to scribble such villany. Their fathers couldn't do it, and the country was all the better for it.'
(Captain Vye in Thomas Hardy's "The Return of the Native" published 1878.)
List of Songs chosen in 1878
| Upper Division | Infants |
| O hush thee my Babie | The Clappers |
| Sweet and Low | Were I a bird |
| Ring the Bell, watchman | Birdie so cheerful |
| Joe the Blacksmith | Sweet little bobbie |
| Rule Britannia |
| When the rosy morn |
| Great Tom is cast |
| Do, Ra, Me, Fa |
Mr Padwick played the harmonium to accompany the singing. He also played the church organ for which he was paid £10 per year.
Back to 1993 Exhibition
(c) The Yateley Society 2008
Page Exhib.1993.4
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