Distington School Log 1877

Distington School Log 1877

This is the School Log for the Year 1877 Jan 8th, 1877 This School was opened by me last Tuesday morning (Jan.2.) for the first time as a Public Elementary School, but as there were only about a dozen children present, and no apparatus of any kind except the desks, I sent the children home for that week. There are 37 children present today. I have passed the greater part of the day in examining them as to their attainments and find that there are in Arithmetic 3 who can do higher than the Compound Rules (Money) – 10 doing the Compound Rules and the rest simple subtraction and addition. One class of children over eight years old know absolutely nothing. No geography or grammar have been taught. 12 I have had no time- table this week. The children have been redivided again since Monday, as I found out better what work they had really done. One boy, James Saul, has not been since Monday morning. His mother says he has caught a severe cold owing to the dampness of the School. The average this week has been 34.1 Jan 15 4 boy’s mothers to day asking me to take in children under 8 yrs as it is so far to the other school. 17 Visited today by Mr Studholme, one of the members of the Board. Complained to him of the very dirty state of the path just by the school door, which keeps the school floor continually muddy. 22 Admitted 6 boys this morning. 24 There have been 41 present today- the highest number since School was opened. Commenced teaching Geography. 29 Admitted 2 more boys. Heard that William Mangham had gone back to Gilgarron School, the weather having been so stormy, he had caught cold in coming here. Feb. 2 1877 Took all the boys in the desks. (Classes 1 and 2) in Geography this afternoon instead of the usual lessons. John Gribbins has been marked off the register this week having gone back to a Dame School. 6 Admitted one boy yesterday. The attendance poor this morning being wet and stormy. The school walls are very damp today. 12 Admitted one boy this morning. Slight increase in number present this afternoon. 16 Nothing of importance to relate this week- average 38. 19 Admitted two boys this morning- Had to keep in several of the first class this afternoon for having done their home lessons so badly. 21 Visited this morning by Mr and Mrs MacKenzie. 23 The Rev. Wodehouse visited school this morning and taught from 10 am till 12 am. The average this week is 40.1 27 Visited again this morning by Mr Wodehouse who taught Reading to the 1st and 3rd classes. March 2 1877 The turnstile at the entrance to the path leading to the school had been injured sometime during the … This afternoon I enquired about it as I was going home and found it was none of the schoolboys, as it was done before they were out of school. Had to punish Thos. Kirkpatrick at his father’s request for truanting. Mar 6 A cold and stormy morning. School thin- visited by the rector- who again taught the 1st and 2nd classes. 12 Mr Studholme, one of the Members of the Board visited this afternoon and stayed to hear the second class read. 19 Attendance very poor today. It has been a very cold stormy day. 24 Used all the time from 9 a.m. to 9.45 a.m. in ???? home-lessons which are done in a very slovenly manner again. Spoke to the boys too about coming to school so dirty. I repeatedly have to send some to the stream to wash their hands and faces. 29 Broke up this afternoon at 3.45 p.m. for the Easter Holiday- registers being marked a quarter of an hour  earlier. April 9 1877 A very thin school on re-assembling today. 32 present- many at home working- gardening one boy admitted. In re-writing the names in the registers I have left out 8 boys though in some cases the parents say they are coming next week as they have for some time. 13 There have been more absent to-day than at any time since the school was re-opened- average (week) 33.5 20 Nothing of any importance to relate this week – a slight increase in the attendance- average 37.4 25 A great number away today- mostly potato setting. 27 Work gone on as usual this week- average 35. 30 Admitted three boys this morning. May 1 1877 Omitted the bible reading lesson this morning- the home lessons, which I examined as soon as school opened being so badly done. May11 Work gone on as usual this week- School very thin to-day – Marked M.H. Radcliffe off the register as I hear that through the death of his father he is to be sent away to London. May 14 School very thin again to-day. Many working in the fields. 15 Omitted the grammar lesson this morning in the first class so as to give the third a lesson in numeration. 18 Took the boys up to the girl’s school this afternoon to practice singing as I can make nothing of them in this room. 25 This week’s attendance has been very bad – average 26. Being Whit-week many have to stay at home and work in the place of the servants – yesterday being Whitehaven Fair was a holiday- average 26 June 1 1877 Marked off Anthony Banks and Jns Kelly. Bank’s mother told me some weeks ago that she would try and send him half-time so he has been kept on the register eight or nine weeks after I knew he was at work. Thomas Ipson too is gone to work as a farm servant. 5 Many of the 1st class boys having bought atlases yesterday there is a great improvement in the Geography this morning. I gave up the first lesson to hearing it. 8 Took the boys up to the Girl’s School again this afternoon for singing lessons. 11 Heard this morning that Jas. Kennedy, age about 11 is gone to work on the railway as a labourer. 15 Marked out Jonathon Dryden from register today as his father says he will send him no more here. It is too far for him to come. Robert Patterson too I believe is working at the new railway works. 22 Nothing of any importance to relate this week. The average has decreased nearly 5 since last week. Turnip thinning has begun in the district. 26 It is very wild and stormy this morning. There are but 25 present. I have had to have the fire lighted to dry some of the boys clothes being wetted through. 29 The attendance this week has been wretched – the weekly average is 25. July 2 1877 There are still more absent today - 18 present. The first and second classes are put into one for this week. 6 Commenced the midsummer holiday today. July 30 Re-opened the school after the Midsummer holidays - there are 11 boys present. The majority of those absent are at work in the fields. It is impossible for me to work with a timetable. Admitted two boys. 31 Another boy admitted this morning. August 3 1877 Gave a half day holiday today - there being a Band of Hope demonstration in the village and the majority of the children going to it. The weekly avaerage has been 15. Took away the register with me as the Board wished to see them at their meeting to-night. 6 Admitted three boys this morning - marked S.A. Keenan off the register; he has gone to work on the new line. 10 Work gone on as usual this week with very thin classes. Average 17. 13 Admitted two more boys and marked off two who have gone to work. 17 Marked off two more first class boys who have gone to work, as I am told on the Railway. The weekly average is slightly increased, 20.8 20 Admitted two boys - one is on a visit only so that he will be present but a few weeks. John Crone having been absent all last week I sent to enquire after him. His mother met me this morning and told me that he was going to be sent to the dame school in the village because he was punished for not doing his home lessons. He is come back however. 24 Visited this afternoon by Mr Studholme, one of the members of the Board. Average again increased, it is 29.9 31 Had an Examination in Stan III. arithmetic this morning in place of the usual arith. lesson - 5 failed. I find someof the boys have almost forgotten long division. The attendance is increasing still. This week it is 35.7 Sept 3 1877 Admitted a boy ( Irving) who is come for a few weeks only. A good many boys away harvesting. 7 Had an examination again in Standards III and IV. The work was a little better done but again three failed to get more than one sum right. 10 Re-admitted a boy Kennedy - who has been working on the line. He has come back knowing absolutely nothing. A great number away still at harvest. 18 I was too ill to get down to school yesterday morning and sent word that I should be down in the afternoon. When I arrived I found only 6 boys so did not open school at all. It appears that they misunderstood the girl who was sent to tell them. 24 Marked off James Thompson one of the IV Standard boys. He has left or is leaving the village. There is a slightly better attendance this moring, 30 present. I have sent after several boys and have received word that they are getting the potatoes in. 28 Had an examination (paper) in Stan. III - the papers are neatly done, but carelessly worked. Oct 5 1877 Work gone on as usual this week. Marked off another boy (Buchanan) - he has gone to work on the railway - he has made 29 attendances. Oct 8 Re-admitted a boy (Rickering) who has been at work in the fields. 10 Held an examination in Stan II. (arith + Dictation). The results are much better. All had at least three sums right. 12 Spent the Bible reading lesson this morning in an extra grammar lesson to the first and second classes in continuation of their home lessons. 15 Re-admitted one boy (James Saul) and admitted three others this morning. There is a better attendance than last week. 19 This afternoon we ought to have gone up to the Girls' School for singing but it was so wet that I thought it best not to. The average has gone up nearly 9 this week. 24 Held an examination (slate) in Geog Standard III. The work we have done last is well done, but the first part is all forgotten. 29 Another very wet afternoon only 28 present. 30 15 boys more present this morning than yesterday. Nov 1 1877 Had another examination this morning in Standards II and III. Arithmetic and dictation in place of the usual morning lesson. Had the reading lesson in the afternoon. 7 Visited last morning by D Dick, a member of the Harrington School Board. This morning I spent the usual arithmetic lesson in Class 1 as a Geography lesson. 15 Holiday today, being Whitehaven Fair. 16 Found the School door fast and the lock broken this morning. After trying various ways of getting in had to break a pane of glass and send in a boy through the window to take off the lock. There have been but 27 present today. 23 Owing to the illness of the Mistress and by request of the chairman of the Board I have taken the boys, girls and infants together this week in the Girls' school. The Monitress has looked after the sewing, but the examination work in sewing is at a standstill. 26 The attendance this morning is very bad. I have sent to inquire the reason of absence of over 20 children, and the answer from all is that the parents are afraid of the children taking the fever (typhoid) from which the Mistress suffers. Two children have gone to Harrington School till she is better. 30 The school year ends today. The avaerage for boys has fallen nearly 13 this week, but so far as I can judge not having added up the totals the girls average has fallen a little greater percentage. Dec 3 1877 There have been but 24 boys present today: three weeks from the inspection. Enquired myself after several and was told that the parents were afraid of the damp. We stared again today in the boys school as I have got a temporary Mistress for the girls. 7 Work gone on as usual this week. Average 23 11 Had an examination in Grammar Stan III + IV this morning in place of the Reading lesson. I had not taken Grammar at the usual time being busy examining Stan I. 14 Visited this morning by Mr Sparks, H. M. Inspector's Assistant - who examined Standards I, II, III, and IV, as many more were present, in Reading. Stan I and II in Writing and Stan II in Arithmetic. He also heard the children sing. 19 Visited this afternoon by Mr Studhlome, one of the Members of the Bd., who listened to an exam. in Geog. Stan. II. Dec 21 1877 The Annual Inspection took place this morning and immediately on its conclusion the Xmas. holidays begun. REPORT FOR YEAR ENDING NOV. 30, 1877 (copied into the log book by Mr Bryning) Distington Board School.   Cumberland Boys School. "The boys are carefully and thoroughly taught and have aquitted themselves with credit. Some relics of an old established system of copying seem still to remain. Care should be taken to banish this habit entirely as also to enforce cleanliness and tidiness. Minute slate pencils should not be allowed to be used. The portfolio should be brought to the school on the inspection. None of the other books kept by the clerk need be brought.   James Bryning. Certificated Master of the Second Class. E. Dryden, Clerk.