Cove School Log Books 1920s-1930s

Epidemics, school closures and a tragic accident on the coast.

Our Archive collections include some wonderful school log books for both Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Schools. These are essentially diaries, maintained by headteachers in line with the annual Codes issued by the Scottish Education Department. These records can provide a detailed insight into the activities of the school and also significant local, national and international events. As some of the log books need to be read through prior to public access, our staff members often stumble across interesting entries that give a fascinating glimpse of life in and around particular schools. Below are entries from the Cove School Log Books c. 1920s-1930s, collated by one of our Archivists at the end of last year.

Outbreaks of illness are often noted. This is because, not only did illness impact the pupils, but affected the school attendance roll as well! The below entry from April 1925 shows the decline of attendance and eventual closure of the school (for over 2 weeks) due to an outbreak of measles:

Sometimes the school closed for more exciting reasons, like in December 1925 when they closed early owing to the 'Annual School Treat':

School attendance is not only noted for pupils, but for teachers and the Headteacher as well. In March 1927, the headmaster was absent as he was ‘attending a wireless demonstration in Mackie Academy, Stonehaven’.

Everyone loves to talk about the weather, and school headteachers are no different...in these log books, the weather is often mentioned as it impacts the school roll. In this case, it was so wet in August of 1928 that the school fires were put on...we might have felt this requirement during our August 2024. The last entry on this page notes the school being closed due to the Prince of Wales' visit to Aberdeen.

Another closure for the school was due to potato harvesting, where many children would have taken time off to help in the fields lifting potatoes:

Specific accidents regarding individuals are sometimes mentioned, like in September of 1929, when a rather clumsy pupil was noted as having broken both arms, on separate occasions, within the course of a few weeks! 

Pupils were not the only ones to suffer from accidents. This entry of 27 December 1929 shows Miss Crombie marked as absent owing to 'having met with a severe accident'. Unfortunately, no additional information is given on the incident, although she does come back to work.

Whilst checking the year 1930, our Archivist noted a number of sad entries for deaths of pupils. It was clearly a bad year for the school and the community. In May 1930 two brothers drowned:

And in August 1930, another pupil was knocked over by a bus and killed:

Other entries of note found in these log books:

Electricity installed November 1930

A particularly cold spell in February of 1931 with thermometers installed in the school

Introduction of Horlicks for pupils in December 1933

In October/September of 1934 the school's timetable was altered to allow teachers to catch their trains home on time!

Across 1934 and 1935 there were various entries related to Diptheria, Scarlet Fever and Influenza outbreaks. Many of these noted children being sent to the Stonehaven Isolation Hospital for treatment. 

These log books are a valuable source for family and social historians and will be available via appointment when we reopen our services next year.

[Kim Smith, Senior Archivist]