The Log Book 1905 to 1908

The Nottinghamshire County Archives holds two log books completed by the Headteachers between 1905 and 1948. These records of events in the life of the school provide a really interesting insight into the past and the ‘way we were’. Over the next year, I will be trying to piece together a summary of these years and hope that anyone who can will try to add to these with personal memories of the more recent past.

The school opened, with 53 on roll, on the 9th October 1905 in a Wesleyan Chapel on Porchester Road, Carlton, Nottingham, England. The Head Mistress was Lydia Jane Vickers. She remarks in the log book,” I found the scholars in a very backward condition”.

The schemes of work are contained on one of the pages of the log book. Very different to the vast array of folders that form the modern national curriculum.

Scheme of Work 1905

Arithmetic was simply described as 'Scheme 13'

Geography:- Geography terms explained and illustrated, Own County, Plan of the school.

In Standards 3 and 4, History and Geography were combined to form a study of the 'Industries and Occupations of Various Parts of the British Isles and Canada'

Observation lessons of 'Common Animals and Flowers in the Vicinity' were included as was drawing of 'square and oblong forms' and 'simple curves' for Standards 1 and 2 and more advanced work of 'Common Animals, Leaves and Memory Drawing' for the older children in Standards 3 and 4.

Note:- 'Standard' is the name used to describe the class and the numbers were written in Roman Numerals. For example- IV for 4

Singing included 'Time and Tune, Voice and Staff Notation'. The Headmistress writes that 'the children were very interested in a song called Sweet and Low'.

This was a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, one of the most popular poets of the time, set to music as a lullaby:-

Here is the tune- Download Sweet and Low

Sweet and low, sweet and low
Wind of the western sea;
Low, low, breathe and blow,
Wind of the western sea;
Over the rolling waters go
Come from the dying moon, and blow,
Blow him again to me,
While my little one, while
My pretty one sleeps.

Sleep and rest, sleep and rest
Father will come to thee soon;
Rest, rest, on mother's breast,
Father will come to thee soon;
Father will come to his babe in the nest,
Silver sails all out of the west,
Under the silver moon,
Sleep my little one, sleep,
My pretty one, sleep.

This is how it may have sounded at the time sung by a female voice with piano:-

Download Sweet and Low song version

Children had to learn many things by heart or 'by rote' and Recitation was also an important part of their school day. Two poems they had to learn were 'The Village Blacksmith' and  'The Children's Hour' both also by Longfellow.

What do you make of these poems? Could you learn and recite any parts of them? How could you find out more about their meaning and the language used in them?

On 20th November of the same year the Headmistress was given notice that she should, "continue holding school at the Wesleyan Chapel on account of the iron building not being quite finished. The delay being connected to the laying of gas and water". On November 27th 1905 they assembled at the 'Iron School' on Standhill Road.

There is nothing in the log book about this building. It might be assumed that it had a corrugated iron roof, perhaps even walls. Later, in a 1909 entry, it was described as a temporary building. Can anyone shed any light on its actual location or construction?

Then, as now, attendance was a major issue and the Attendance Officer was a frequent visitor but the Head Mistress took decisions that would be unacceptable nowadays. For example, she sent the school home early one day because there had been no playtime due to heavy rain. She also sent home early the best attenders to reward them for coming to school!In January 1906 she closed the school as "the scholars were simply drenched". This followed a torrential downpour that caused the absence of most of the infants.

By December 1905 the roll had increases to 107 and on the 18th she remarks, "Due to the room being so dark we were compelled to burn the gas".

It sounds as if she had to keep a careful eye on the school's budget!

In March 1908 the school inspectors arrived. The problems with the accommodation were noted but they stated:- 'good order is maintained despite the drawbacks...the school is improving but much will have to be done in the way of really intelligent teaching before its condition can be regarded as thoroughly sound'

Remarkably, advice to the infant classes was that ' a guard is needed for each of the open fireplaces and another blackboard'

So, young children were being taught in a classroom with an unprotected open fire!

The move to the new building was imminent and the end of Miss Vickers' reign was recorded in a short sentence by the new Head:-

'April 19th 1909- Miss Vickers and Miss Hague (SJ) terminated their appointments' (The letters SJ must have a meaning but what?)

The new Headmaster of the school was Mr. J Arthur Griffin, a graduate of King's College, London (1891-3). This was the start of Porchester School in the present building from 18th May 1909. He was a man who took charge and immediately started to make changes.

The story continues here: The new school 1909