Back to School! Entries from Forgue Episcopal School Log Book
As the schools have begun their new school year, we wanted to share some of the wonderful entries from our collection of school log books. It was mandatory for head teachers to complete these log books from the early 1870s and some of the provide incredible detail about the school, pupils, staff and general area.
The below entries are from Forgue Episcopal School Log Book dated 1926-1946 (reference ED/AC5/173/1/3) and show the changing environment in education at this school, from the supply of pencil sharpeners and world maps, to celebrating Sir Walter Scott (below), scarlet fever outbreaks and World War 2. This school operated from c. 1868 to 1947.
School Inspectors visited schools regularly. Unfortunately, their findings were not always positive. The two entries below are very scathing. The first blames 'the home life', whilst the latter describes the children as 'slow and unresponsive' and 'lacking imagination'. In this case, the reports (dutifully copied into the log book), do not give anything in the way of advice for improvement...
Accidents and incidents were always recorded, providing evidence for the headteacher should they be required to report back to the inspector. The first entry below is a tobogganing accident during interval. The entry notes that both children went home after first-aid treatment with one of the boys attending Huntly Hospital for stitches.
The above notes the 'new Map of the World' supplied to the school,.
The headteacher of this school had little tolerance for verbal abuse or swearing, sending for a constable to stop 'filthy and disgusting language'!
Outbreaks of Scarlet Fever are recorded throughout the 1930s:
The headteacher was often very honest about her own health issues as well. Below we can see she closed the school early due to illness 'being quite unable to stand'.
During the years of WW2 there are many interesting entries, including these from September. The first two show evacuees from Glasgow arriving at the school. There was a school closure to allow arrangements to be made, before seven new students joined the school.
Later on, additional supplies were given to the school for safety - anti splinter nets were installed over the windows.
The pupils are sometimes dismissed early to allow them to reach home before the black out hour. In the next month, things seemed a bit brighter - the pupils are now supplied with hot cocoa over the winter months and a Halloween party is thrown for evacuees from Glasgow in St Margaret's Church Hall.
If you would like to search our log books for specific school history or social history for an area of Aberdeen or Aberdeenshire, you can search our catalogue here: https://archives.aberdeencity.gov.uk/CalmView/. These records can be viewed by appointment in our Town House search room during opening hours.
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