1873 – 1924
To begin, here are two articles that appeared in the Balmullo Newsletter. They explain why the log books were produced and how they worked.
Newsletter Article Data June 2010
Did you know that the 1872 Education (Scotland) Act obliged the head teacher of each school, run by one of Scotland’s school boards, to keep a daily log book of events at the school? They had to include events concerning pupil or staff absences. They usually recorded information about the annual visit by Her Majesty’s Inspector.
This act also made education compulsory for 5 –13year olds.
Balmullo School’s first log book runs from December 1873 to 1925. It is held in Fife Council Archive Centre, Bankhead.
I shall quote in full the first few entries which give you an idea of the information included:
“1873
December
1st 27 boys, 24 girls in classes
2nd Bible class began at Genesis
Miss Ross began sewing classes.
4th Fast Day School closed
5th Great difficulty in learning them singing as it appears to be the first time they have attempted it.
8th Fees – 2 ½ d per week for reading, 3d for reading and writing, 4d for reading, writing and arithmetic, 4½d for the same with grammar.”
This quote from Her Majesty’s Inspector’s report in June 1874 shows that they were only in temporary accommodation.
“As the master has only had charge of this school for 9 months and has worked in most wretched premises under the greatest disadvantages, his school may be considered in excellent condition both in respect of discipline and instruction. The children have been most carefully taught and trained.”
They moved into the new school building in November 1875 but they were all in one classroom because the other rooms were not finished.
By the end of 1877 the Log Book is written weekly on a Friday and the entries are very brief.
There is no evidence of a Christmas Holiday until 1885 but they always have a holiday for New Year and for Handsel Monday. This was the first Monday of the New Year when employers would give employees small presents.
The summer holidays seem to develop over a few years. It seemed to last initially from mid August to mid October. Later they settled to mid July to early September.
The numbers on the roll are recorded regularly and reasons for absence are well reported. Here are some examples taken from the 1870s and 1880s:
“Some of the oldest pupils absent being engaged gathering strawberries.”
“Only 24 enrolled, many are lifting potatoes”
“Older pupils’ abs. potato planting”
“Attendance not good – Cupar Market Day.”
“Attendances not so regular this week on account of the stormy weather.”
“Snowstorm 20 absent”
“Upwards of forty scholars absent from school today owing to the severity of the weather.”
There was also a lot of ill health. Measles, whooping cough and scarlet fever were prevalent. Children were absent with flu, sore eyes, sore throats, jaundice and sickness.
In November 1884 three children were absent with typhoid fever.
In 1885 the school was five weeks late in opening after the summer holidays because of a smallpox epidemic.
In 1889 an epidemic of measles left several children dead.
The children’s attendance was also affected by the headmaster’s attendance. He had time off to attend funerals and was called for jury duty. To make up the time lost he opened the school on a Saturday.
Newsletter Article September 2010
Did you know that on 6th June, 1900 Balmullo School closed for holiday in honour of the British having taken possession of Pretoria during the Boer War?
According to the School Log Book the children were also given days off for the King’s(Edward V11) funeral in 1910 and possibly his coronation in 1902. The 26th June is just listed as a holiday. The King’s coronation was scheduled for this day but was postponed because he has an emergency appendectomy.
On 27th May 1904 the school was closed for the first time for Victoria Day. Queen Victoria’s birthday was 24th May and this holiday is still observed in Dundee and Edinburgh.
Although most entries in the logbook are brief, the summary of the inspectors report is also recorded in the log book and this gives us some idea of the changes in education.
In the early years the actual topics taught are sometimes recorded and we have some information about the text books used.
Some of the topics covered were: Asia, Solway Firth, Towns of Germany, Towns of Fife, Lakes and Rivers of Scotland, St Andrews, wheat, James V1, James 1, Robert Bruce, Mary Queen of Scots, Charles11
Younger children had object lessons on such topics as: cat, whale, cotton plant, sugar cane, coffee plant, squirrel, milk and butter, cow, camel, goat, wolf, carpenter, reindeer, giraffe, bear, iron, birds’ nests.
Text books had such exciting names as; ‘Chambers Grammatical Primer’, ‘Nelson’s Royal Primer’, ‘New Code Expressive Reader’, ‘Neil’s Arithmetic’, ‘Nelson’s Poetry Book’ and ‘White’s School Miscellany and Extra Reader’.
The school was inspected annually and the grant received depended on the performance of the pupils. A summary of each report is noted in the log book.
By 1901 these reports were becoming more detailed with ideas on schemes of work and classroom organisation.
In 1904 the inspector reported that: “The school is conducted in an earnest manner and with very creditable results. The best feature of instruction is arithmetic which is sound and well advanced. Drawing, too, is distinctly good. Intelligence, history and geography should however receive much more attention. The infant section read with a curious inflection at the end of every sentence and this mannerism should be corrected”.
In 1905 he reported that; “an effort should be made to remedy the monotonous style of reading which prevails”. The master was given specific points for special attention in the Upper part of the school “1) the irregularity of slope of copy writing 2)The inaccuracy of the arithmetic in the boys section of class 3.”
Throughout this time the numbers in the school remain about 90 being taught by Mr Murrie, the head teacher, and a pupil teacher. In 1907 the inspector suggests that they apply for a ‘General Aid grant’ to increase the staff in the school.
Unusually the report for 1907 was not good. “The writing and drawing of the seniors are very fair though too much of the drawing is done from the flat. The highest class acquitted itself passably under oral examination but below this there was a singular dearth of intelligence and information. Spelling was equally defective. In the circumstances an unreduced grant for the senior division cannot be recommended.’
The inspector returned in October 1907 to check up on improvements and was pleased that some had been made. He suggested that the master could use the ‘tattie’ holidays to clean the classroom walls and improve supplies. I’m sure that he was delighted!
The Log Book is mostly very mundane but it gives an insight into life in our village outwith living memory.
Now read the notes from the Log Book