Description:This photograph has been carefully constructed. It was taken to be displayed or circulated as evidence of good educational practice. The blackboard is used to describe what is happening. The subject is Domestic Economy and the all girl class are being taught about the chemical composition of water. The late 19th century saw the rise of practical science in the school curriculum. The lesson is taking place in the school hall. Reproduction paintings were a common feature on classroom walls. It was believed that they would informally educate the child. One of the paintings on display in this image is Millais’ Cherry Ripe.
Woollaston took a series of twenty photographs of Birmingham schools in 1896. All but two of these were interiors. The photographs were posed, but they still reveal elements of what it was to be a ‘schooled’ child.