The life of Dr W. F. Hook with special reference to and assessment of his educational work

Abstract

Chapter 1. Outlines his life commencing with his education and also his curacy at Whippingham, during which he studied theology intensively and began his pastoral work. His work at Moseley and Birmingham when his educational interest and close contact with the working classes first came to the fore. This work was continued on a larger scale at Coventry and then at Leeds. His relationship to The Tractarians is outlined and also his work of Church and School extension. Finally his literary and other work at Chichester is mentioned together with a brief assessment of his life. Chapter 2. Educational progress during Dr Hook’s lifetime. The Monitorial system, the rise of the Voluntary Societies and the beginnings of State aid for education. The rise of Training Colleges, School inspection and the Pupil-Teacher system. Increased State provision, management and conscience clause controversies, the Revised Code and events leading up to the Education Act of 1870. The 1870 Act with its sequel and other Educational developments 1800-1875. Chapter 3. A survey of the practical and theoretical educational work of Dr Hook throughout his Ministry with special reference to his letter to the Bishop of St David’s on the means of rendering more efficient the education of the people (1846). Dr Hook’s practical educational work is shown to be very comprehensive while his educational theory is shown to have changed considerably over the years. Chapter4. The impact of Dr Hook’s letter to the Bishop of St David’s (1846) on contemporaries as revealed in biographical material and reviews. A critique of the Reviews and also an assessment of Dr Hook’s educational proposals both in the light of the possible alternatives to his suggestions and also in view of what in fact did happen in educational practice after 1846 both before and after the Education Act 1870.