SCHOOLS At the start of Queen Victoria's reign few children went to school and more than half grew up unable to read or write. The government didn't run any schools. Some people ran small schools in their own home. Larger schools, called charity schools, were built and run by rich people who wanted to teach children about God and Jesus. Most charity schools had a single class and only one teacher who taught the children how to read the bible and say their prayers. She also taught them maths, writing and some sewing or gardening. Charity schools for the very poor were called "ragged schools". Other schools were run by the church and as well as providing Sunday schools they also began to open more and more day schools. Often, there were over 100 children in one large room. The schoolroom was quite dark and bare. There was one stove or fire to heat the large room and the children had to bring turf, coal or sticks to keep the fire lit during the day. There was little fresh air as the windows were built high up to stop the children looking out and being distracted from their lessons. It was hard to keep order and the cane punished bad behaviour. Teachers Teachers were very strict and cross and children were often scared of them. The teacher was helped by 'Monitors', which were older children who helped the teacher control the class and write lessons in the younger children's books. These "pupil teachers" received certificates, which helped them qualify as teachers when they were older. Salaries were very low and it was often women teaching rather than men. Pupils After 1870 all children from five to thirteen had to attend school by law. Lessons lasted from 9am until 5pm with a two-hour lunch break. As classes were so large all the children did the same work at the same time. Victorian lessons concentrated on the "three R's" Reading, writing and arithmetic. Pupils learnt by reciting things like a parrot until they knew them off by heart. Science was taught as "Object" lessons where leaves, flowers, stuffed dogs, etc... was brought into the classroom for the children to see and study. Children got bored very easily as most of the subjects was chalk and talk by the teacher and writing and copying by the children. Children learned to write on slates as paper was very expensive and slates could be used over and over again. Older children used pen and ink and copied their work into their copybooks. The pens they used blotted very easily. If the children blotted their books the teachers would have whacked them with a cane but that was not the only reason for beating. Some things that would end in a beating were, sulkiness, being cheeky, being late. Sometimes they broke their canes while beating a child they were that strong. Some teachers gave the children a choice. They could be beaten with a birch rod, which had been left in water to keep it supple or be beaten with a cane. Another form of punishment was the dunce hat. This was used if a child fell behind they were punished with the dunce cap. Now we know that for some children it takes them longer to learn things but Victorian teachers thought every child could learn at the same speed.