You are in [Artefacts] [School Copy Books from College House School]
What were these books?
In March 2022, during the restoration of College House, two school Copy Books were found in the front left ground-floor room.
These were writing books dating from 1901, when College House was a school run by Mrs Froome and one of her daughters Miss Froom. Follow this for much more on College House School and 130 High Street).
They give a fascinating insight into the rigours of writing tuition in the late Victorian period.
Both books are "Jackson's New Style Vertical Writing Copy Books", which required the pupil to repeatedly copy sample scripts to encourage the "Upright Penmanship" style. They advertised that the system had been "Adopted by the London and many other important School Boards" and also by "several Colonial Education Departments" and "the Commissioners of National Education, Ireland".
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The front cover of Copy Book No. 7, belonging to Geraldine M. Platt, 22nd October 1901.
The entire series of Copy Books:
There was a series of 15 graduated copy books:
1. Introductory Exercises - easy words.
2. More difficult letters.
3. Long words - simple definitions.
4. Capital letters - proper names,
5. Towns, countries, islands and rivers.
6. Historical, with dates.
6a. Colonies, with dates.
7. Maxims and proverbs.
8. Scientific definitions.
9. Commercial terms.
10. French and Latin phrases.
Supplementary and Finishing:
11. Corresponding style.
12. Corresponding style.
13. Capitals and contactions.
14. Addresses and letters.
15. Commercial forms.
The two examples found:
The examples discovered were of No. 7 and No. 8 - each costing twopence. "These Copy Books are also available in stiff marbled covers, for Secondary Schools. Price threepence each."
No.7 was used by Geraldine M. Platt, who dated the book 22nd October 1901. Geraldine Mary Platt, born Oct-Dec 1891, was the daughter of George and Florence Platt, of the very large family of brewers in the town, who were living at Manor House at the time of the 1901 census. Geraldine was therefore aged 10 years when she was writing in her Copy Book No. 7.
No. 8 was used by May (or Mary) Alexander, who dated the book 12th July 1901. MAry Alexander, born Jul-Sep 1888, was the daughter of Thomas and Emma Alexander, grocers, who were living in Church Street. At the time of the 1901 census, she was living with her aunt Alice Alexander in a cottage in Church Street. May (or Mary) was therefore aged 12 years when she was writing in her Copy Book No.8.
Both copy books were only partly completed, and on the final completed page of both was a well used blotter to stop the ink smudging.
The lines to be copied were in alphabetical order.
The lines to be copied in Book 7:
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
A clear conscience can laugh at false accusations.
Between two stools we generally come to the ground.
Business may be irksome but idleness is far worse.
Cleave your wood according to the grain and across.
Charity may begin at home but it must not end there.
Desperate diseases demand desperate remedies.
Difficulties are mean not todiscourage but to rouse.
Economy is the easy chair for advanced years.
Every good deed nobly done will well repay the cost.
Folly is pleasure to him that is void of wisdom.
False friends are much worse than open enemies.
Get wealth honestly and then use it generously.
Good nature without prudence is simply foolishness.
He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread.
He who knows nothing is confident in everything.
In the multitude of counsellors there is wisdom.
It is always term-time in the court of conscience.
Judge not they neighbour by appearances only.
Joy is the mainspring in the whole round of nature.
Knowledge makes humble but ignorance makes proud.
Kind words are worth much though they cost little.
Look always on the bright side of your circumstances.
Lawless are they that make their wills their law.
Money is a good servant but a very bad master.
Manhood when merging into age grows thoughtful.
Nothing is impossible to him that says I will.
Never do that by proxy which you can do yourself.
One kind word may turn aside a torrent of anger.
Obedience alone can give the right to command.
Plain words make the most ornamental sentences.
Proverbs are the daughters of our daily experience.
Quietness and contentment are very estimable virtues.
Quarrelsome people are most undersirable neighbours.
Read not books only but men and above all thyself.
Respect yourself or no one else will respect you.
Study how to spend wisely as well as how to earn.
Suffering for one's friend doubleth the friendship.
Truth is a rock that can withstand every assault.
The abuse of riches is worse than the want of them.
Use your powers for the welfare of your fellowmen.
Unnumbered suppiants crowd preferment's gate.
Virtue invariably meets with its just recompense.
View with grave suspicion the flattery of your friend.
When fortune smiles there is often the greater danger.
What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander also.
Youth is the time for study and improvement.
Zeal without knowledge is like fire without light.
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A page from Geraldine Platt's Copy Book No. 7 - letter H
Advice on how to write well:
Inside the front and back covers of each book was advice on how to make best use of the Copy Book, and how to hold the pen and how sit well when writing.
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Inside front cover - advice on holding the pen and writing well
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Inside back cover - advice on sitting well when writing.
The lines to be copied in Book 8:
Arithmetic, the science of numbers and the art of computation.
Agricuture, or husbandry is the cultivation of the ground.
Botany, that part of Natural History which treats of plants.
Bibliography, a history or description of books or manuascripts.
Chemistry, the science that treats of the nature of all bodies.
Crystallography tells us how crystals are formed &c.
Dynamics, the science which treats of the laws of motion.
Dialectics, the rules or modes of reasoning or disputing logic.
Ethnology treats of races, their features, language and manners.
Electrolysis, the decomposition of matter by electric currents.
Floriculture, the art of cultivating flowering plants or flowers.
Fiscal, pertaining to the public treasury or public revenue.
Geology, the science which treats of the structure of the earth.
Geometry treats of of properties and relations of magnitude.
Hydrostatics discusses the weight, pressure & properies of fluids.
Hydrodynamics treats of the application of forces to fluids.
Ideology, the science of ideas or of mind: mental philosophy.
Icthyology, that branch of zoology which treats of fishes.
Jurisprudence, the knowledge of the laws and rights of men.
Justiciary, an administrator of justice: a lord chief-justice.
Kinematics treats of pure motion independently of its causes.
Katalysis (more commonly spelt catalysis) is dissolution.
Logis, the science of the laws of thought: the art of reasoning.
Lexicography, the art of compiling a lexicon or dictionary.
Moral Philosophy treats of man's social relations and duties.
Myopia, or Myopia, short-sightedness, near-sightendness,
Natural History, a scientific description of the earth's production.
Nomology, the science of law, legislation and government.
Ornithology treat of the form, structure, habits and uses of birds.
Ophthalmology, that branch of science which treats of the eye.Philology, the science of words and language , grammar.
Physiography, a shorter term for physical Geography.
Rhetoric, the science of oratory: the art of speaking in public.
Refraction, the act of refracting: or of being deflected or bent.Stenography, the art of writing quickly with simple signs.
Scoliosis, a distortion or curvature of the spine to one side.
Trigonometry, the measurement of lines, angles and surfaces.
Tachygraphy, the art of quick writing, shorthand-writing.
Zoology, the natural history of animals now in existence.
Uranography, the construction of celestial maps and globes.
Writing should never degerate into mere scribbling.
Verticality, the state of being actually vertical or upright.
Imitate carefully every character and word in the copy.
Xylography, a process of decorative painting on wood.
Incrementation, finding differences by adding the the lesser No.
Recto: the right hand page: Verso, the left hand page.Zero, the extreme point of depression: naught, nothing.
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A page from May (or Mary) Alexander's Copy Book No. 8 - letter J
The back covers: .jpg)
The back cover of Book 7 - Buckingham Palace, London
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The back cover of Book 8 - The Imperial Institute, London
The Canal Wharf, 2011