The determinants of education in Tudhoe 1876 - 1904

Abstract

This thesis is a study of the provision of educational facilities in a mining village in county Durham during thelast quarter of the nineteenth century. It shows that there was a shortage of' school places before the passing of the Elementary Education Act in 1870 and demonstrates the efforts of the school board to provide sufficient school places for the children in the area. This involved a thorough sifting and evaluation of the relevant documents. It considers in detail the format ion of and the work of the first school board and other subsequent boards. The thesis examines the life and working conditions of the elementary school teacher during the latter part of the last century. It goes on to look at the school curriculum which was considerably widened by the introduction of new subjects throughout the school board period. The study considers the hypothesis that the last century was a time of bitter religious strife. It shows that l the ordinary man was not nearly so conscious of the religious quest ion as those providing the e due at ion thought. In conclusion the thesis shows that whilst the education provided by the 1870 Act was adequate at that time it soon became apparent that this was insufficient for the more intelligent pupils. The study demonstrates that the area around Tudhoe was in the forefront in providing higher elementaryeducation in county Durham(