pupils 1930

pupils 1930
Grafton Regis School Log Book (1929-1934)
1929
Jan. 7th. Re-opened school after Christmas holiday. Only 6 present. Snowy slippery day. Children had a nice party in holiday. Several now have bad colds.
Jan 8th. Only 8 present today. Nurse Snape called saw M. Gollings & V. Edwards. Said they were cleaner.
Jan 9th. 8 children are suffering from coughs & colds.
Jan.10th. 7 Do.
Jan.11th. 7 Do. Children are suffering from coughs & colds & weather has been very bad. Only 3 Alderton children, & M.& R. Holloway made full attendance. Alderton children have been sent home at 3-30p.m. all the week.
Jan 14th. 10 Children present. Still much illness.
Jan. 15th. 4 Children present. And two of these M. & P. Allen cannot read & write as their eyes look rather inflamed.
Jan. 21st. Only one child Victor Edwards, came to school . All others ill. Instructions given by E.A. to close school for a week.

Period of closure was extended weekly as the Doctor diagnosed the children's complaint whooping cough. Every child except Victor Edwards was ill with it. Nancy warren also had pneumonia, & William Blunt bronchitis also. Six new dual desks, four with locators were delivered on Feb. 8th.

At a Managers meeting held Feb. 18th. it was agreed to sell the three long desks and with the proceeds buy a second-hand cupboard.
Feb. 25th. School re-opened after closure for Whooping Cough. Only 3 children came. M. & R. Holloway & Victor Edwards.

The schoolroom fire was lit on Friday last and not allowed to die out to be sure of a warm room.

Constance Wotherspoon has gone to stay with an aunt for a long period, and is attending Brailles Village Sch. Warwickshire. Letter written to Chief Att. Officer advising him that only the 3 Scholars have returned to school

W. Blunt unable to start today as his mother has had to take him to a funeral.
Feb. 29th. Arrangements have been made by L.E.A. for Dr. Perry Walker to see M. Allen & W. Hall at Northampton on March 6th. His visit would have taken place during school closure. These two children's eyes need attention. Mrs. Allen sent to say she will not be taking Maurice.
March 1st. The fire has been kept in all night throughout the week - has not been out since Friday last. Mr. Wells has seen to it. This ensures having a warm room for the children.
March 5th. Admitted Edith & Edward Ballinger. Both children have been living in France, therefore know very little Arith. & English. Edith had been to a school in England for some months.
March 6th. Dorothy Hall absent in order to go to Northampton to see the Doctor re: eyes. Mrs. Gilbert called to say John has influenza - he only returned to school yesterday after having had whooping cough.
March 8th. Holiday given in afternoon as a Conformation Service was held in Church.
March 11th. M. Allen returned to school. All present except J. Gilbert.
March 21st. Children wrote a letter to rector sympathising with him in his illness.
March 28th. Mr. Abbott, Phy. Ex. Dem. Called & helped us with the Dance. Brighton Camp. W. Blunt has been absent all the week. The Dr. is attending him. P. Allen absent 3 days unwell.
April 8th. Re - opened after Easter holiday. 16 present Mrs. Blunt called to say the Dr. said Billie must not attend yet. He is suffering from relapse after whooping cough.
April 9th. Rev. R.N. Beasley called. His attention was again call to the unsatisfactory state of the wall dividing playgrounds Mistress suggested having it all down.
April 17th. Nurse Snape called. A. Webb absent all day. She looked very queer yesterday.
April 18th. Holiday all day in memory of late Dr. Hulbert.
April 23rd. St. George's Day. Flag saluted. Nat. Anthem sung & king's message read to children.
April 25th. Mr. Simmonds tuned piano.
May 17th. Mr. Wotherspoon has given permission for children to play in his field on Friday afternoons. Consent for this recorded from L.E.A. Each time we go a notice, to the effect we are in the field, will be affixed to school door.
May 7th. Edith & Edward Ballinger absent in afternoon in order to be vaccinated.
May 10th. Dr. Walton called re vaccination. He is seeing all parents who are willing to have their children vaccinated. He advised others to tell their mothers he advised it. Mrs. Gilbert also came to say Dr. Walton has called to see John. He will treat him & then he must go into hospital to have tonsils out. At present he is not strong enough.
May 14th. Dr. Walton called at 1-10 & vaccinated three Warrens and two Holloway's. Mrs. Warren had previously consented & Mrs. Holloway came. D. Warren felt unwell afterwards, so went to lie on Mrs. Holloway's bed - 10 recently done. Dr. Walton promised to send a Certificate to Mrs. Gilbert to forward on.
May 15th. W. Blunt told to come in school as it was raining before 9. He had been ill, & I was afraid of damp. He was again very rude to me.
May 17th. Regarded as Empire day. School opened with singing National Anthem etc. Empire lessons given.

Mistress given a Medical Certificate for leave of absence to go to Droitwich for treatment for rheumatism. The school house is very damp, & this has been pointed out to Managers.

Mistress will doubtless be absent until June 14th.
May 27th. Julia Bruce took charge of the School
June 4th. Florence M. Lester takes temporary charge.
June 17th. I, G.E. Wells returned to duty today.
June 20th. Holiday to be given tomorrow as it is the Village Annual Outing.
June 26th. A very warm day so desks were carried into playground, and lessons taken there.
July 1st. Admitted Irene Haynes, a visitor in the village for a few weeks.

Rev. R.N. Beasley
Grafton Regis
Northampton
Dear Sir
Grafton Regis & Alderton School
I beg to inform you that the Board of Education have now signified their approval to the transfer of the older girls from the above names School to Yardley Gobion Church of England school or other such suitable school as the parents may select. I Shall be glad therefore if the Managers will kindly instruct the Headmistress that, as from the beginning of next term, no children of either sex, who were over eleven years of age on 1st.(August in any year), should be admitted to the School during that year except on a Medical Certificate stating them unfit to attend a receiving School.
Yours Faithfully
(Signed) F.J. Birkbeck
Acting Secretary


Sept. 13th. Edith Ballinger leaves school today as she was eleven years of age last March.
Mistress heard last evening from a Member of G.F.S. Committee that they are having a Dance in the School room on Tuesday 17th. inst. She at once wrote a strong appeal to the Rector to have this altered - in the interest of the children & herself. The Rector replied that he was not aware of any Dance taking place. Mrs. Seymour, who had arranged it cancelled it - She had not asked for use of schoolroom evidently.
Sept. 18th. Children play Cricket in the field - they were unable to last Friday & doubtless will not go much longer as grass will get too damp for the little ones.
Sept. 23rd. Mary Warren scored 110 rums in the Children's cricket match. She is the first child to achieve this feat.
Sept. 24th. Rev. R.N. Beasley called to say that Managers have agreed to release Mistress in order that she may shortly take up a new appointment.
Oct. 1st. Commenced fires as mornings are chilly. If the weather again becomes very warm we shall discontinue for a short while.
Oct. 14th. Alice Webb absent - unwell. John Gilbert also away his mother sent to say he had an accident yesterday.
Oct. 18th. Children did not come in school until 9-15 a.m. They were all watching the airship R101. Capt. & Mrs. Prothero came, the latter talked about the children's work - as she is coming here for a time.
I, Grace Wells cease duty here today after three year's work. They have been three happy years of school work.
Oct. 21st. I, May Prothero take temporary charge of Grafton school.
1930
March 12th. Joe Allen to attend Yardley Gobion School for A.S.E.

March 14th. Mr. Massey writes.
The School is taken in one group, which makes the task of the teacher always more difficult.
The children showed that they had been carefully instructed by the intelligent answers they gave.
The questions on the meaning of the Catechism were well answered and I thought that the school was well up to standard.
W. H. Logan
Diocesan Inspector

May 8th. Miss Smith will take charge of the school on June 2nd.
May 30th. I, May Prothero cease duties here today.
June 2nd. I. Edith Smith Uncertified Teacher, commence duties as Head Mistress today. All children present 18.
June 23rd. Child from Alderton admitted Marjorie Cleaver aged 11 years.
June 27th. Holiday given. Village Annual Outing.
July 3rd. Medical Inspection by Dr. P. Walker. 10 children were examined, Victor Edwards must still be graded according to ability and must not be pressed.
July 10th. Mr. Abbott. Physical Training Inspector came this afternoon. He watched a short lesson and commented highly on the smartness of the school.
Sept. 18th. I take the children for a Nature ramble along the lane towards the canal. We gathered some hips which were threaded during Handiwork lessons for Harvest Festival.
Oct. 27th. A bitterly clod morning temperature 42° and no fire. Children spent most of Scripture lesson at play as school was not fit to sit in.
Nov. 11th. Children were taken to Church for Armistice Service.
Nov. 21st. Wet day so children from Alderton absent.
1931
March 9th. Copy of Diocesan Inspector's Report
These Children have made a very good start with the 'Agreed Syllabus' There is a new teacher here who is doing excellent work - her children today were very good indeed both in answering and general behavior. I quite enjoyed questioning them.
W.H. Logan

March 11th. M. Allen, M. Warren and D. Rogers today take Annual School Examination. D. Hall absent through illness.
March 20th. General Intelligence Test set by Education Committee worked by Scholars 10 - 11 today.
June 1st. School re-opens. I have word from Northampton that Maurice Allen has passed his A.S.E. and is to go for an oral test to Towcester Grammar school on June 8th. 1931.
June 26th. School closes all day for Village's Outing.
Sept. 7th. School re-opens after five weeks holiday 12 children on roll.
1932
Jan 4th. School re-opens Spring Term. No. on book 12.
Feb. 19th. Mr. Abbott Physical Training Inspector called but could not examine as only 6 children present. Influenza very prevalent.
Feb. 22nd. Attendance better 8 present. Dorothy Hall returned after six weeks absence.
Feb. 29th. A General Intelligence Test taken by Dorothy Hall, Ernest Henson and Victor Edwards. Marks obtained respectively out of 70 69, 56, 36.
March 9th. Ernest Henson & Dorothy Hall are taking the Annual Schools Examination today at Yardley Gobion and Paulerpury respectively.
April 4th. Re-open School. No. on books 11. two cases of Whooping Cough. J. Short & D. Henson.
June 20th. New child Joan Wyatt from Alderton.
July 7th. Mr. Abbott Physical Training Instructor visited and inspected drill. He commented on smartness of children and was highly pleased with Country Dancing.
July 22nd. Piano tuned by Whitlock.
July 15th. Village Outing. School closed for the day.
1932

Report by H.M. I. Mr. H.R. Sweeting
Examination by H.M.I. Mr. Mitchell
When present Head Mistress was appointed two years ago there were nineteen children in the school; now there are only eleven. Consequently , most of the teaching is of an individual character. In formulating the schemes of work the Mistress co-operates with the Head Teachers of the two neighbouring schools to which the scholars are drafted on attaining the age of eleven.
In the main the standard of work has been maintained. The diligence and interest of the children reflects credit on the enthusiasm and efforts of their teacher. All of them read well and good progress is made in both oral and written expression. The writing of the older scholars is still somewhat weak.
Physical Training and Country Dancing are noteworthy features in this small school.

Sept. 5th. School re-opens 10 children on register.
Sept. 6th. Nancy & Jean Warren return to this school from Yardley with Mr. Prothero's permission, bring numbers up to 12.
Oct. 8th. Admit new child Rosemary Marchant age 5.
Dec. 5th. Admit Ian Brooker from Whittlebury aged 9.
1933
Jan 9th. School re-opens 13 children on books.
March 6th. M General Intelligence Test taken by P. Allen N. Warren, F. Webb & B. Holloway. Marks obtained in order 61, 60, 47, 41 out of 71.
March 15th. Frances Webb attends Paulerspury School this morning for Annual Schools Examination. Phyllis Allen, Nancy Warren and Robert Holloway are attending Yardley Gobion for the same purpose.
March 31st. Registration year ends today.
May 24th. Empire Day observed this afternoon. We saluted the flag and sang suitable songs. A talk on, how our flag is made up and simple meaning of Empire was given.
May 26th. A new piano arrives this afternoon bought by the Managers.
Oct. 3rd. Jean Warren goes to Cosgrove for Optical examination.
Dec. 12th. 3 children Margaret & Peter Crow and Nan Holloway attend Yardley Gobion School for Dental Treatment. H.M.I's Mitchell & Parker called on business relating to the closure of school.
1934
Jan. 8th. School opens for Spring Term 8 on register.
Jan. 15th. Margaret & Peter Crow and Nan Holloway attend Yardley Gobion School for Dental Treatment.
Feb. 12th. Margaret Crow absent with measles.
Feb. 17th. Letter received from Northampton stating school will close at Easter.
Feb. 20th. Another case of measles Peter Crow.
March 7, 8, 9. Closed as only 3 children present.
March 12th. Still only 3 present but keep open.

Copy of Diocesan Report
Satisfactory work is still being done in this school. The teacher taking much trouble to give the children lessons which they can grasp and make use of. The answers, which I received from the children were good, and their knowledge of their work was encouraging.
J.D. Massey

March 16th. Percentage for week 37.5 so attendances disregarded Rule 23 Ex 2.