SCHOOL BOARD FOR LONDON

Administrative Papers

The Board and its committees issued many reports, most of which were printed. These and such miscellanous papers as have survived have been arranged and listed under their main subjects. Many of the reports are duplicated in the bulky bound volumes of miscellaneous printed documents which have been preserved as a separate series.

In this list the main committee records have been arranged alphabetically, each followed by its sub-committees. Where one series merges into another, the fact has been noted.

EXAMINATIONS see SCHOLARSHIPS

FINANCE see FINANCIAL AND ACCOUNTING DOCUMENTS

When the School Board for London was set up under the 'Act to provide for public Elementary Education in England and Wales' (33 and 34 Vic. c. 75, 1870) it had not only to tackle the herculean tasks of building schools and training teachers for a very large and steadily increasing number of children and of enforcing school attendance, it had also to work out systems of procedure and of administration.

In its early years its procedure and its committee system could be considered experimental. Committees proliferated, their functions often overlapped; sub-committees and special committees developed into main committees and main committees became sub-committees of other committees. It was not until the 1890's after two special committees had deliberated on the matter, that a clear committee pattern began to emerge.