The school re-opened

When it was finally decided that the school should continue according to Sir John Cass’s wishes, the trustees followed the founder’s instructions.

 

There is much more information in the minute books about what the children ate and the clothes they were given  than about what and how they were taught.

 

Sir John Cass had instructed that there should be one master to teach the boys and one mistress to teach the girls. This would mean very large classes.

 

The Master and Mistress are appointed

 

The trustees agreed to advertise for the two teachers they needed. in the Daily Advertiser. The master was to be paid a salary of £40 a year, the mistress £30. Both were to have accommodation and some food and fuel provided. These were decent but not generous salaries. A housemaid at this time would be paid about £5 a year plus accommodation and food; a vicar might get £80 a year plus a good house.

 

There was no special training for teachers at this time, so no particular qualifications were needed, but all applicants had to be members of the Church of England.

 

Applicants were asked to turn up in person on a particular day to “make their petition” for the job – so all the candidates got a first interview. They were expected to give a short speech about how they would run the school.

 

About thirty people applied for the jobs, so it must have been a long day for the trustees. They made a short list of two for each post, and those candidates had to attend a second interview with the vestry (the committee that ran St Botolph’s Church).

 

The jobs went to Thomas Moon and Ann Bandy. Sadly no details were recorded about either of them, but they both moved into the school house and began work within a few days, and arrangements for opening the school went quickly ahead.