Comments on: At The Ragged School Museum https://spitalfieldslife.com/2024/05/05/at-the-ragged-school-museum-i/ In the midst of life I woke to find myself living in an old house beside Brick Lane in the East End of London Sun, 05 May 2024 13:59:08 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 By: Sonia Murray https://spitalfieldslife.com/2024/05/05/at-the-ragged-school-museum-i/#comment-1570706 Sun, 05 May 2024 13:59:08 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=199582#comment-1570706 Thanks for this article, Gentle Author! The pictures of the schoolroom are a trip down memory lane. There’s a desk like that somewhere in England, probably at Cliftonville, where a boy named Michael carved my initials into it three quarters of a century ago. The headmaster, Mr. Bickerstaff, gave unruly boys the slipper. Not a cane, disipline was becoming less harsh.

Good times, when I look back!

]]> By: Terry Kirkman https://spitalfieldslife.com/2024/05/05/at-the-ragged-school-museum-i/#comment-1570701 Sun, 05 May 2024 13:28:49 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=199582#comment-1570701 I remember visiting this school some years ago. We were lucky in that our visit coincided with a group from a local school who sat in total obedience throughout the lesson. I recall one of the teachers accompanying the children remarking afterwards that she wished she could command such control in her own class.
Terry Kirkman

]]> By: Marnie https://spitalfieldslife.com/2024/05/05/at-the-ragged-school-museum-i/#comment-1570669 Sun, 05 May 2024 10:46:35 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=199582#comment-1570669 It is always a delight to see one of Doreen Fletcher’s meticulous and warm paintings highlighting one of GA’’s illuminating articles.

I remember practicing the P.O. Peterson style of cursive back in the ‘50’s in SW
Pennsylvania. My penmanship is not elegant but it is legible.

I was disgusted when I learned a few years ago I would have to PRINT postcard greetings to my nearly-illiterate grandchildren. So much dumbing down in education now will make life and advanced careers difficult for today’s youngsters.

Some school admins have finally recognized the folly of it and have reintroduced cursive—thank heavens.

Loved this article and the photographs, GA.

]]> By: Hels https://spitalfieldslife.com/2024/05/05/at-the-ragged-school-museum-i/#comment-1570640 Sun, 05 May 2024 08:48:22 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=199582#comment-1570640 If those children did not have a ragged school to attend, what might the alternative have been? Going into the labour force at 6?

]]> By: achim https://spitalfieldslife.com/2024/05/05/at-the-ragged-school-museum-i/#comment-1570634 Sun, 05 May 2024 07:57:35 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=199582#comment-1570634 The Victorian era was quite strict — but at least people looked after these children and gave them a chance. From today’s perspective, it’s all very ‘romantic’…

Love & Peace
ACHIM

]]> By: CR https://spitalfieldslife.com/2024/05/05/at-the-ragged-school-museum-i/#comment-1570629 Sun, 05 May 2024 07:35:52 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=199582#comment-1570629 I can’t help feeling they’d have a full class of expensively paying visitors if they held a class for adults offering corporal punishment dished out with wanton abandon. There’d have been no need for a Heritage Grant!

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