- Samuel Wilderspin
Samuel Wilderspin (1792,
London – 1866) was an Englisheducationist known for his pioneering work oninfant school s. His belief was that a child should be encouraged to learn through experience, and to development in feelings as well as intellect. His work provided the model for infant schools in Europe and North America.Wilderspin was apprenticed as a clerk in the
City of London , but later trained in infant education. He became the master of his own infant school inSpitalfields , and published "On the Importance of Educating the Infant Poor" in 1823, based on his experiences there. He began working for theInfant School Society the next year, informing others about his views on education. His approach to schooling as necessary for a socially and morally prepared child was informed by hisSwedenborgianism .Play was an important part of Wilderspin's system of education, and he is credited with the invention of the playground. He also ran a company supplying apparatus for playground activities.
Several hundred schools were founded by Wilderspin throughout the United Kingdom. However, Queen Street School in
Barton-upon-Humber is the only known surviving school built to his designs. It was completed in 1845, and Wilderspin himself taught at the school for several years before retiring in 1848.His papers are in
Senate House Library ,University of London .References
* [http://www.bartonuponhumber.btinternet.co.uk/school/heritproj.htm Queen Street School Heritage Project] - restoration project for one of Wilderspin's schools.
* [http://www.aim25.ac.uk/cgi-bin/search2?coll_id=2154&inst_id=14 AIM25 Archives - Short biographical sketch of Samuel Wilderspin.]External links
* [http://archives.ulrls.lon.ac.uk/dispatcher.aspx?action=search&database=ChoiceArchive&search=IN=MS917 Papers of Samuel Wilderspin in Senate House Library, University of London]
* [http://archives.ulrls.lon.ac.uk/dispatcher.aspx?action=search&database=ChoiceArchive&search=IN=MS975 Additional Papers of Samuel Wilderspin in Senate House Library, University of London]
*worldcat id|id=lccn-n83-164709
*Gutenberg author|id=Samuel_Wilderspin|name=Samuel Wilderspin
**Gutenberg|no=10985|name=The Infant System
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