| Administrative History | A Lancastrian School (one that adopted the Lancastrian method of teaching) existed on Charlotte Street in 1828. By 1846 the school was under the control of the Aberdeen South Parish Free Church. Aberdeen Training Centre, by establishing a Practising/Demonstration school, modelled its teaching practice on these earlier institutions. The school had its own permanent staff but student teachers and lecturers had a significant role. Teaching practice was never limited to the Practising/Demonstration school and as early as 1907 teaching placements were sought in schools throughout the city, in recognition of the fact that experience in ordinary schools was also important. The school was also used for special occassions: "crit" lessons and an experimental rural class from 1927. In 1909 the Practising School changed its name to the Demonstration School. From 1963 the College ran down the school, a class a year until closure in 1970.
The Church of Scotland and Free Church had their own schools but upon the founding of the Training Centre the decision was made to sell the Church of Scotland school in George Street and maintain the Free Church school sites in St Andrew, Charlotte and John Streets. The Free Church expanded in 1904 leading to a new practising school on John Street, and this site would be retained as a Demonstration school until 1970.
See - Chronicle of Aberdeen Demonstration School (J.C. Milne, 1946) |