The Paper
Trail of Teachers
It was
easy to figure out that great-uncle Art was an educator as he always asked
so many questions when he came to visit.
While we were eating supper, served on Mum’s best china, he wanted to
know if our teacher had a First Class or Superior License.
I wanted to sound knowledgeable, hence I replied, “Mrs. Titus was born
a teacher and didn’t need to get licensed.”
I couldn’t understand why the adults were laughing. Mum had stated on
more than one occasion that our school marm was a ‘born teacher”.
The licensing of teachers has left a trail for family researchers to
follow as the requests by teachers for licenses from 1812 to 1882 give
such data as, name, birth place, education, teaching experience, church
affiliation, and samples of handwriting. Also attached may be certificates
and letters from local school trustees and clergymen testifying to the
teaching ability of the petitioner and his or her moral and religious character.
The Teacher petitions are on microfilm and are at the Saint John Free
Public Library and the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick in Fredericton.
The Journals of the House of Assembly of the Province of New Brunswick
are a great source of information on education.
In the volume for 1880, the Student-Teachers’ Allowances - Travelling
Expenses in aid of Student Teachers attending Normal School reveal some
interesting facts.
* Wellington Camp, Queens County - $4.00.
* Charles L. Barnes, Westmorland County - $18.10.
* Laura A. Elderkin, Port Greville, Nova Scotia -
$20.70.
* Mary Annie Paul, Saint John - $6.40.
* Lizzie E. Moran, Northumberland County - $9.00.
Also in the 1880 Journal of the House of Assembly, is the Trustee’s Report
for Fredericton which gives the names of teachers with salaries.
* Frances I. Ross earned $290.00 from November
to April at the Park Barrack School with a class of forty-one boys and
twenty-seven girls.
* M. Helen Loring earned $200.00 in the same
time period at the Wisely Schol with a class of fifteen boys and twelve
girls.
* W. G. Gaunce, A. B. had twenty-six boys and
forty-four girls at the York Street School. His salary was $650.00
The Trustee’s Report for Saint John City made mention of the completion
and opening of the seven fine rooms in rear of the Leinster Street Church.
A very interesting report on school buildings and teachers in Saint John
lists:
* Cusack Building, Saint Patrick Street with a rental
of one hundred and fifty dollars, contains two departments. Mary Bowes,
3rd class, female taught the boys of grade three and four. Catherine M.
Hogan, 2nd class, female taught the boys and girls of grades one and two.
This building was closed October 31, 1879
* Victoria School, corner of Duke and Sydney Streets
was owned by the School Board and housed grades one to eleven. Two of the
teachers, A. M. Carter and M. P. Gregg resigned. In fact a total of five
male and seventeen female teachers retired from service of the School Board
of Saint John during the year.
The Inspector’s Report for Albert County compliments Chipman Bishop of
the Hillsboro Superior School. It tells of the sudden death of a young
man named, C. S. Gilbert, A. B. of the Superior School in Alma.
The New Brunswick University Report named the seventy-two resident students
and reported the conferring of degrees to sixteen students - one of them
being Charles G. D Roberts, who received a degree of A. B.
As I read the Entrance Exam for the Provincial Normal School of May,
1879, I wondered how many of today’s high school graduates could complete
it successfully.
The Journals of the House of Assembly of the Province of New Brunswick
are on the shelves of the Saint John Free Public Library and at the Provincial
Archives of New Brunswick, Fredericton.
By the way, Etta Faulkner’s website at http://personal.nbnet.nb.ca/pauletta/victoria-8.htm
has a very interesting section on the school history of Victoria Corner
in Carleton County.
