Skip to main content
Presented to you through Paradigm Publishing Services

Manchester University Press

Visit our Partner Page See all our books
Chapter
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

3 Education and missions

Abstract

This chapter discusses the motivation behind state education for Travellers and the impact of the 1908 Children's Act, exploring the experience of Traveller children in mainstream education, and three examples of special education schemes. It describes the intentions and actions of missions towards Britain's travelling communities during the period. Local authorities did not want to see Traveller children as their moral or financial responsibility. The key to the reality of schooling for Travellers was prejudice received from every level of education. The importance of Travellers' responses to education is assessed. The success of both the Hurtwood school and that of the Salisbury mission indicate that Travellers were relatively enthusiastic about education when it could fit in with their lifestyle and made no assumptions about long-term commitment. The variety of attitudes and approaches of the missions reflected the contrary attitudes held in settled society towards Travellers.

Abstract

This chapter discusses the motivation behind state education for Travellers and the impact of the 1908 Children's Act, exploring the experience of Traveller children in mainstream education, and three examples of special education schemes. It describes the intentions and actions of missions towards Britain's travelling communities during the period. Local authorities did not want to see Traveller children as their moral or financial responsibility. The key to the reality of schooling for Travellers was prejudice received from every level of education. The importance of Travellers' responses to education is assessed. The success of both the Hurtwood school and that of the Salisbury mission indicate that Travellers were relatively enthusiastic about education when it could fit in with their lifestyle and made no assumptions about long-term commitment. The variety of attitudes and approaches of the missions reflected the contrary attitudes held in settled society towards Travellers.

Chapters in this book

  1. Front matter i
  2. Contents v
  3. Preface vii
  4. Acknowledgements viii
  5. Abbreviations x
  6. Introduction 1
  7. Part I: The early twentieth century and wartime
  8. 1 Travellers’ lives, 1900–45 27
  9. 2 The state and its legal responses 53
  10. 3 Education and missions 78
  11. Part II: Post-war and the 1960s
  12. 4 Travellers’ lives, 1945–68 109
  13. 5 The state and site provision 133
  14. 6 Travellers and the welfare state 156
  15. Part III: The later years
  16. 7 State developments and Travellers’ responses, 1968–2000 187
  17. 8 Conclusion 220
  18. Select bibliography 225
  19. Index 239
A minority and the state
This chapter is in the book A minority and the state
https://doi.org/10.7765/9781847791559.00010

Chapters in this book

  1. Front matter i
  2. Contents v
  3. Preface vii
  4. Acknowledgements viii
  5. Abbreviations x
  6. Introduction 1
  7. Part I: The early twentieth century and wartime
  8. 1 Travellers’ lives, 1900–45 27
  9. 2 The state and its legal responses 53
  10. 3 Education and missions 78
  11. Part II: Post-war and the 1960s
  12. 4 Travellers’ lives, 1945–68 109
  13. 5 The state and site provision 133
  14. 6 Travellers and the welfare state 156
  15. Part III: The later years
  16. 7 State developments and Travellers’ responses, 1968–2000 187
  17. 8 Conclusion 220
  18. Select bibliography 225
  19. Index 239
Downloaded on 4.5.2026 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.7765/9781847791559.00010/html?lang=en
Scroll to top button