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Staff, pupils and committee of the Killinchy School
Description
TitleStaff, pupils and committee of the Killinchy School
DescriptionStaff
It is understandable that there would be similarities in staffing between the Selwyn and Killinchy Schools as regulations, pupil numbers and social views changed over time.
All head teachers (at times they were sole teachers) were male until the Committees were brave enough to appoint a female at both schools at the turn of the century.
At Killinchy, the 19th century males stayed an average of 3 years with W. Tipler’s 13 years (1889-1901) an exception, while Selwyn’s turnover was much more rapid.
Miss Warnock taught for 23 years (1902-1926) at Killinchy which far exceeded the male efforts and Miss Christian (1902-11) at Selwyn exceeded her male predecessors greatly.
Only 2 more female head teachers were appointed at Killinchy, and this was for a short period and during WW2, while at Selwyn, females led the school through to 1928.
When pupil numbers justified a second teacher, usually a female was appointed, and at times, pupil-teachers were also being trained at schools.
Mary McKee served at Killinchy from 1875 to at least 1879 when it was reported that she had failed her exams and Sarah McKee had her 1st year exam in 1884 and 3rd year in 1887.
Sewing teachers were often the wife of the male teacher and were part time.
Pupils
In the early days, attendance at school was poor by modern standards.
For example, in 1876 of 82 pupils enrolled there was an average attendance of 59, which was apparently in excess of former years.
By 1880 average attendance had increased to 70 pupils, and dropped by 1882 to 64.
In 1891 the Master reported that attendance was 90% of the school roll.
Graham & Chapple reported that peak pupil numbers at Killinchy in 1890 was 160 (compared with Southbridge School in the same year with 389) and these figures suggest that the peak was very sharp.
The Committee Chairman reported in 1898 that the roll number was 44 as against 47 for 1897 and average attendance was far below what might reasonably be expected.
School Committee
The School Committee was voted in at a meeting of the residents held annually at a date specified by the Education Board. The chairman was chosen from among the elected members.
For all the years until the school’s closure in 1959 it was a male preserve.
In the very early days a couple of members of the committee, assisted by the teacher, would conduct the examination prior to awarding prizes.
The committee’s main tasks were to see what needed to be done around the school and then to petition the Board of Education for the money to carry out the work.
The committee had to raise one-sixth of the money if the request was successful, then advertise and select the tender, confirm their choice with the Board and presumably supervise the work.
Things didn’t always go smoothly for the committee as for example in December 1888 when a small sub-group of the committee contacted the Board of Education over the effectiveness of a teacher without consulting the rest of the committee. This led to a heated special meeting and unpleasantness.
A new teacher started in 1889.
Mike Noonan and Sandra Opie
Ellesmere Historical Society
Date24 June 2021SourceThe Ellesmere EchoLocationkillinchy
DescriptionStaffIt is understandable that there would be similarities in staffing between the Selwyn and Killinchy Schools as regulations, pupil numbers and social views changed over time.
All head teachers (at times they were sole teachers) were male until the Committees were brave enough to appoint a female at both schools at the turn of the century.
At Killinchy, the 19th century males stayed an average of 3 years with W. Tipler’s 13 years (1889-1901) an exception, while Selwyn’s turnover was much more rapid.
Miss Warnock taught for 23 years (1902-1926) at Killinchy which far exceeded the male efforts and Miss Christian (1902-11) at Selwyn exceeded her male predecessors greatly.
Only 2 more female head teachers were appointed at Killinchy, and this was for a short period and during WW2, while at Selwyn, females led the school through to 1928.
When pupil numbers justified a second teacher, usually a female was appointed, and at times, pupil-teachers were also being trained at schools.
Mary McKee served at Killinchy from 1875 to at least 1879 when it was reported that she had failed her exams and Sarah McKee had her 1st year exam in 1884 and 3rd year in 1887.
Sewing teachers were often the wife of the male teacher and were part time.
Pupils
In the early days, attendance at school was poor by modern standards.
For example, in 1876 of 82 pupils enrolled there was an average attendance of 59, which was apparently in excess of former years.
By 1880 average attendance had increased to 70 pupils, and dropped by 1882 to 64.
In 1891 the Master reported that attendance was 90% of the school roll.
Graham & Chapple reported that peak pupil numbers at Killinchy in 1890 was 160 (compared with Southbridge School in the same year with 389) and these figures suggest that the peak was very sharp.
The Committee Chairman reported in 1898 that the roll number was 44 as against 47 for 1897 and average attendance was far below what might reasonably be expected.
School Committee
The School Committee was voted in at a meeting of the residents held annually at a date specified by the Education Board. The chairman was chosen from among the elected members.
For all the years until the school’s closure in 1959 it was a male preserve.
In the very early days a couple of members of the committee, assisted by the teacher, would conduct the examination prior to awarding prizes.
The committee’s main tasks were to see what needed to be done around the school and then to petition the Board of Education for the money to carry out the work.
The committee had to raise one-sixth of the money if the request was successful, then advertise and select the tender, confirm their choice with the Board and presumably supervise the work.
Things didn’t always go smoothly for the committee as for example in December 1888 when a small sub-group of the committee contacted the Board of Education over the effectiveness of a teacher without consulting the rest of the committee. This led to a heated special meeting and unpleasantness.
A new teacher started in 1889.
Mike Noonan and Sandra Opie
Ellesmere Historical Society
Date24 June 2021SourceThe Ellesmere EchoLocationkillinchyConnections
Attribution
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Staff, pupils and committee of the Killinchy School (24 June 2021). Selwyn Stories, accessed 29/05/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/5335