NATIONAL SCHOOL
1899-1901
1899
Jan 2nd Opened with a moderate school this morning. A lot off owing to the inclement weather.
6th Good attendance throughout the week. I got some good essays & compositions from VI & V. Vicar called on Monday.
13th We gave the school children & the choir a party on Wed & Thurs & there was no school after Wed morning, for the rest of the week.
20th Good attendance. Examined in arith on Thursday with good results. Vicar called on Monday.
27th Good attendance. Examined in arith with good results on Tuesday. Closed a little after three this afternoon (opened at 1) to allow room to be rearranged for the concert. Vicar called on Monday.
Feb 3rd Considerable decrease in attendance owing to the weather. Worked hard throughout the week. Vicar called on Monday & Tuesday.
10th Examined St VI - II in the three Rs & found all classes good except the arith of III. Vicar called on Monday.
17th Fair attendance. Took the usual half holiday on Shrove Tuesday. Examined all classes during the week. Worked hard on revision. Vicar called on Monday.
24th Slightly improved attendance. I severely caned five St VI & V boys for coming to school at 1:55 instead of 1:30 on Tuesday. Received a new infant on Thursday. Examined St IV V VI in Arith on Wed with very good results.
27th Received form 9 & other forms appertaining to the Gov examination. Vicar called on Monday.
March 3rd Good attendance. Worked hard all the week. Vicar called on Monday.
10th Worked hard at all the subjects. Paid special attention to Geog. Vicar called on Monday.
15th Exam fixed for Monday 17th April: received notice this morning.
17th Good attendance . Worked hard all week, esp at Geog. Vicar called on Monday & Wednesday.
24th Slight decrease in attendance, owing to very inclement weather. Worked hard at all subjects. Examined VI - III in Arith on Wed & all passed. Vicar called on Monday.
30th Splendid attendance. Closed until Wed morning next for Easter. Vicar called Monday.
April 7th Moderate attendance this week chiefly owing to several children being ill with colds.
14th Bad attendance the latter part of the week owing to inclement weather. Examined all classes on Monday & Tuesday with good results. Vicar called on Monday.
17th inspection
21st Bad attendance. Numbers of children ill with colds. Vicar called Wednesday. Received notice of Scripture exam.(May 11th)
24th Put notice of Diocesan Inspection on school door.
28th Slightly better attendance. No school on Wednesday - master at York. Vicar called on Monday.
May 4th Received Gov report - Copy:
Averaged attendance Boys 23.8, Girls 22.1 Total 46
Principal Grant 12s 6d
Discipline & organisation 1s
Singing 1s
Elementary science & geography 1s
Grant On total average 15s 6d
Drawing grant 24 at 1s 9d
Sewing 22 at 2s
Grant claimable £35 13s
£2 2s
£2 4s
£39 19s
Final fee grant £ 5
Total £44 19s
Summary
' Needlework is very satisfactory and the first class subject has been taught with fair success. Elementary subjects, however, leave much to be desired and spelling and arithmetic are so weak that the school must be regarded as bordering on inefficiency. The infants need increased attention and their routine should be more varied. It is understood that the premises will be altered during the current year. The cash book should be kept in the prescribed form (see the appendix II of the revised instructions to inspection).
Your managers should proceed to submit properly drawn plans showing the alterations required in last year’s report. '
May 5th Three or four upper standard girls & boys have now left. Received a new infant on Monday. Started to teach grammar to St VI - IV. Vicar called on Monday. Vicar and Mr T Wood called on Thursday to view the south end of the school to make arrangements for a cloak room.
12th A jumble & work sale was held in the schoolroom on Tuesday and Wednesday in aid of the school and church. There was no school until Thursday morning. On Thursday afternoon the Diocesan exam took place. E Barry was the examiner
17th Received the diocesan report on the 15th.
Scripture Report
General report
' Though the afternoon was wet and depressing the children’s attention was good.
The answering in the lower division was somewhat more general this year and a beginning has been made with the repetition Of Holy Scripture.
The upper division as a class knew their oral work I was pleased with the number of the younger children who were able to answer. What had been committed to memory was repeated reverently and correctly.'
Signed Ernest Barry
Wm H Jemison Correspondent Manager 17.5.99
May 19th Thin school all the week. Worked hard at spellings and grammar. Vicar called on Wednesday afternoon. Broke up for Whitsuntide Holidays.
June 2nd Thin school. Worked hard at lower standards - spellings & Grammar and geography. Vicar called on Monday & Wednesday.
7th Began afternoon school at 1 & left at 3 today.
9th Improved attendance. Admitted two infants. Good progress made in grammar & arith.
16th Good attendance. Vicar called on Monday.
19th Punished J Danby severely for impertinence this morning.
23rd Received my parchment certificate this morning T Scott.
23rd Attendance had been less this week. Great progress made in grammar.
30th There was a good attendance this week. Worked well at grammar and spellings. Vicar called on Monday & Tuesday.
July 5th A lot of upper standard boys were off this afternoon at Crayke sports.
7th Slight decrease in attendance this week. Vicar called on Monday.
12th W Dale, the Attendance Officer, called with a duplicate register. W Lunn is going to be summoned for Alex’s non attendance at school & Mr Hawkswell warned for Willie being at home too much instead of being at school.
13th Opened afternoon school at 1pm today & closed at 3 as I wanted to go to Dalby.
14th Moderate attendance this week. Worked hard at spellings in the St III and II. Good progress has been made in grammar.
21st Bad attendance. The whole of the upper standard boys off with haymaking, turnip singling or other farm work. Worked hard at spellings in the lower standards, especially St II.
28th Worse attendance, through haymaking, turnip singling and other farm work. Vicar called on Monday, Wed and Friday.
Aug 4th Bad attendance. Opened at 1pm, closed at 3:15pm on Thursday on account of Farlington Sports. Vicar called on Monday & Friday.
11th Closed on Monday afternoon owing to Sutton Show. Broke up this afternoon for Harvest Holidays.
Sept 15th Opened on Monday with a very good attendance. Closed at 12 for the day. Poor attendance all the week. The alterations as suggested by the Education Department have been done during the holidays and the cloak rooms are great improvement. Mr Jemison called on Thursday, also Mr T Wood, who undertook the contract for the above work. I put 20 object lessons pictures on the walls.
22nd Improved attendance. Worked hard at spellings, Arith & Grammar. Vicar called on Monday & Thursday.
29th Improved attendance. Worked hard at grammar and arith. Vicar called on Monday.
My engagement as master of his school and my sister’s as sewing mistress and infant teacher, ends tomorrow. We both have been retained as temporary master and mistress for a time.
T W Scott.
Oct 6th Very good attendance all the week. Examined VI V IV III & II in arith with good results. The upper classes did extremely well in grammar. IV rather weak in spellings. Miss Johnson lectured the children on work in the mission field on Thursday afternoon, after four o clock. The vicar called on Monday & Thursday. Holiday on Wednesday as I had a furniture sale.
13th Very good attendance. Worked hard at grammar and object lessons. Vicar called on Monday.
20th Good attendance. Worked hard at all subjects. Four children from the Wesleyan school came on Tuesday, but as their parents only sent them here owing to some breach of discipline on their part I sent them back. Vicar called on Monday and Thursday. Received three packets of embroidery and perforating pictures for use in the infant class.
27th Good attendance. Worked hard all the week. Vicar called on Monday.
Nov 3rd Good attendance. Several boys stayed away on Monday afternoon & went after the foxhunters. I caned then severely on Tuesday morning and stopped their playtime for the rest of the week. Vicar called on Monday.
10th Increased attendance. Examined all classes in writing, grammar & arithmetic on Thursday. Vicar called on Monday.
17th Good attendance. Worked hard all the week. Miss Scott was from school on Thursday & Friday. Vicar called on Monday.
24th Decrease in attendance owing to this being Martinmas week. Mr Jemison called on Monday & Thursday. Opened a Christmas fund in aid of the wives & children of soldiers engaged in the present war.
27.XI.99 The time set aside for Religious Instruction as shown on the approved timetable, must be strictly adhered to.
The work of the infants generally, & the elementary work, especially in the lower portion of the school, require the most careful attention.
J W Bell
Dec 1st 13/6 was subscribed by the children for the fund mention last week. Worked hard at arith in the lower standards. Vicar called on Monday and Friday.
6th Commenced afternoon school at 1pm today & closed at 3:30pm, shall continue to do so until the days are longer.
8th Thin attendance this week, owing to the bad weather.
15th Thin attendance. Vicar called on Monday.
22nd Improved attendance. Closed for Xmas holidays on Friday.
1900
Jan 2nd Bad attendance. Vicar called.
5th Bad attendance all the week. Vicar called today.
12th Much better attendance. H M sub-inspector called on Monday morning.
19th On Wed & Thursday we had the usual school & choir party in the schoolroom. No school after Wed morning.
26th Thin attendance. A lot of children ill with colds. Vicar called on Monday.
Feb 2nd Thin attendance. Same reason as last week. No school on Monday as I had to go to Thornaby on Tees.
My engagement as master of this school terminates today.
Thos Wm Scott
Feb 5th Commence duties as master of this school J H Bennett C. M.
7th Thursday’s lessons this afternoon.
14th As I consider the infants very backward and their timetable not in accordance with good methods I have prepared a new one for them. I intend trying it for a week or two before sending it for approval of H M S.
15th As the girls had no needlework for 5 weeks from Xmas I intend allowing them some extra lessons at the same hour.
16th This week the numbers have been very low owing to a severe snowstorm.
23rd The weather has been very bad all this week also, but promises improvement. In consequence the attendance has been bad. Although I have now been here 3 weeks there are many children I have not yet seen.
27th As tomorrow is Ash Wednesday & special services to be held in the church no school will be held.
March 13th The children are now getting into better order & pretty good progress has been made, but I cannot see the slightest hope of putting them to a fair standard of efficiency by the time the exam is due.
19th Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday the school has been closed on account of illness of the master.
27th As the exam if now nearing & as the subjects are somewhat irregular in their efficiency I propose, until the exam, to modify the timetable & spend more time on the most backward subjects.
April 6th Good Friday - no school
18th Exam by HMS
19th & 20th Holiday
May 1st A new set of books & a large ball frame for the infants have arrived.
Report of HMS exam on April 18th
‘The children having been somewhat neglected are very backward and had not the school be recently reorganised it must have been warned in article 86 of the code. The new teacher has made a satisfactory beginning & consequently improvement may be expected. Firmer discipline might be maintained. A large ball frame, a thermometer & a due supply of Reading books are all required. Object lessons should be thoroughly illustrated. The time set apart for Religious Instruction, as shown on the approved timetable, should be adhered to.’
Grants fixed 12/6, Dis 1/-, Singing 1/-, Elem Sci & Eng 1/-, drawing 1/9, Needle 1-. Av 41. Total £35 12s
9th May The attendance has been bad since the exam. Consequently the worst cases have been sent to the attendance committee.
14th Diocesan Exam. No School.
23rd The Wesleyan School having holiday today, on account of the relief of Mafeking, the scholars here seemed to think that they ought to have the same, consequently only about half turned up at 9 AM & they were sent home & school closed.
Diocesan Report
‘When the second division settled down to work, they were attentive & answered willingly; there was some confusion in the details of the New Testament narrative.
The older children, as a class, had a general knowledge of all their subjects & some gave a number of good answers; in the repetition their enunciation was clear and natural. Writing from memory could be better for a little attention.’
Ernest J Barry, Diocesan Inspector
June 12th Attention has been a little better lately, though everything has been favourable. Many children helping at home.
20th The attendance has not improved. I consider the attendance authorities to be practically worthless.
21st I shall be absent from school tomorrow& Mrs Bennett will take my place.
26th Attendance has been a little better, though still bad. Examined the 1st class (St V-VII) have done very well esp in composition, but lower standards very poor.
July 11th Exchange lessons this afternoon & tomorrow afternoon
20th The attendance Committee seem to be waking up to their duties. They have issued three summonses & a number of warning notices, which has had good effect.
25th This afternoon the attendance was poor owing to Crayke Sports.
Aug 2nd A very wet day had lowered the attendance.
10th Break up today for harvest holidays of 4 weeks.
Sept 10th Reopened school. Fair attendance.
13th Visit with W Thackray
‘The offices need the special attention of the managers. The school should be swept & dusted daily.’
W Thackray
Oct 5th School closed from 8th Oct til 11th to allow a Bazaar to be held on behalf of school funds.
16th Several children have come from the Wesleyan School.
Nov 5th Although I have carefully & regularly forwarded duplicate register to the Attendance Committee, no notice seems to be taken of the irregular attendance, the average being only 70% while individual cases are far below this.
6th At an exam held today I find the arith had not made so much progress as I had expected. I therefore propose giving them some extra lessons at such times as can be best spared.
20th This afternoon & tomorrow exchange lessons.
29th This afternoon & tomorrow exchange lessons.
30th I expect to be absent from school today. Mrs Bennett will be present.
Dec 11th I examined the senior portion of the school yesterday & found the extra pains given in arithmetic amply justified & a fair promise for good results at the end of the school year.
13th Aid grant of £10 received for increase of salaries.
18th Fair progress made. Nothing of importance has happened.
1901
Jan 14th Reassembled after Xmas Holidays last Monday. Rather small attendance.
19th Only 19 children presented themselves this morning as a blizzard was in progress. No registers were marked, but children were amused til noon. This afternoon 30 were present & school proceeded with.
30th The storm continues. About half of the scholars were at home with colds, & the constant coughing in the schools shows that several others have begun.
31st As only 15 children presented themselves this morning they were sent home & the managers decided to close the school for a time as an epidemic of measles has appeared.
Feb 25th Reopened the school today. 42 present. I think all our children are well, but it still remains in the village.
March 25th School closed today to allow District Council Election to be held in the room.
April 15th Visit E H Howard H M I
23rd The attendance list has been returned, without the slightest notice being taken of absentees.
May 6th Diocesan exam
8th A thunder storm passed over here this afternoon, making the room so dark that we were compelled to light the lamps.
10th Fair progress is being made with the new work. The new books are in use in the upper division. The children do not take to the new rural scheme very week, as it requires personal observation out of doors, but I think if persevered with it will develop valuable qualities in them.
14th Report of Diocesan Exam
‘The younger portion of the first class took only a small share in the answering: the others knew most of the subjects; the repetition esp of the Holy Scriptures was again excellent. The knowledge of the lower division (not counting new admissions) was somewhat limited, more particularly on the New Testament. Answers were willingly given, but merely always by the few children.’ Ernest J Barry
May 21st Attendance still keeps poor. Many children home helping parents, illegally.
26th Last week had a holiday on account of the village feast. Attendance better this week.
June 6th The Attendance Committee has returned the duplicate register for last month, with 6 warnings and 1 summons marked thereon. The one summoned has been by no means the worst offender but their officer says she was only on that had received a warning.
14th Summary of Inspectors Report
‘The master appears to have found the children very backward. He has affected improvement in both order & attainments. Special attention should be made to Arith, both as regards accuracy & intelligence. It is satisfactory to note that composition is taught to all the older children. The infants are improving.’
Signed W H Jemison, Correspondence Manager
Grants 21/- per head
Master J H Bennett C. M. Monitress Nellie Bennett
29th Attendance has somewhat improved
July 5th The attendance during the last 2 weeks has been very poor, the improvement being due to summonses & warnings issued thee the Attendance Committee.
8th Needlework & drawing this afternoon instead of tomorrow
17.18.19th The school will be closed these days to allow the children to have an outing.
24th Friday’s lessons this afternoon.
Aug 2nd Break up today for 4 weeks holiday
Sept 2nd Reopened after holidays. Only 37 present.
10th Tuesday afternoons work exchanged for today’s.
11th Thursdays work exchanged.
13th From today until further notice I intend taking additional lesson for such subject as music & musical drill on Friday afternoons.
17/9/01 Visit under 84 (6). A good deal to be done here - new T T required, also new code.
Thomas Eley, Sub Inspector
25th Good attendance this week. The irregularities are principally among the same children.
30th Exchange this afternoons work for tomorrow’s.
Oct 14th Pretty good attendance.
Nov 5th Exam held. The Upper Standards have done very well: but the I II III are but poor.
27th Holiday this afternoon to allow for a rehearsal of concert.
Dec 2nd At an exam held today the children generally did very well & promise to be fully satisfactory by the end of the school year.
10th Have received £10 aid grant for maintenance of salaries. W H Jemison
Archive note - here is written a repeat of the Diocesan Report of 14/5/1901. Very badly written in places and blurred/smudged.
Dec 15th Wed Aft work exchanged for today’s
20th Break up today for Xmas holidays - 2 weeks.