1925-1929

Miss Hall

On 1st-2nd July 1925 the school closed for the Railway Centenary Celebrations and on the following day there were Sports and Games in the field on Salters Lane.

In August Miss Hall was appointed to succeed the late Jessie Black as HT.

Miss Hall tended to make less use of the Log Book than others but below are some brief extracts for the remaining months of 1925:

Short staffed, only five classes, 263 children; two children transferred to St Williams Roman Catholic School, visit of doctor and nurse, Mr Robson (Drill Supervisor) inspected physical exercises, new PT timetable arranged, Visit of school warden, HMI in school to check accommodation, some children admitted by special permission of Durham County Council, Fire drill (57 seconds), Mr Robson did drill in hall, not yard, because of wet weather.
Modified timetable owing to funeral of Queen Alexandra (27thNovember). (Alexandra of Denmark was the widow of Edward VII).
Admitted one boy over six years of age; he is a cripple and has not been in school before.

Some 1926 entries:
31st March: End of Educational Year. Number on roll: 306.
7th May: CEO visited the school. Noted the condition of the desks in two rooms.
Quite unsuitable for present day use.
14th July: School finished early on account of Circus. Lord John Rangers???
25th June: CEO & Coun. Smith visit to investigate the necessity for placing a stove in Room 3 instead of the present open fireplace.
Admitted a 6½ year old boy attending school for the first time.
Schools Medical Officer certified that the sharp fall in attendance was due to influenza so we could disregard the figures, according to Rule 23.

In 1927 the only ‘original’ entry was to note the closure of all schools to celebrate the Solar Eclipse on 29th June.

Some 1928 entries:
Stove causing much trouble. Room not fit for use. Reported to Office.
Dr F visited to examine a few suspected mentally defective children.
Copy of School Report on Inspection of 7-19 June by HMI Dunn:
In order to relieve pressure on accommodation children were transferred prematurely to the Junior department. There are 294 on roll, and four of the six classes have 50+ pupils. Working conditions not easy, constant reorganisation, wide ability range. Teachers’ constant efforts. The classes have been taught as far as possible in sections and attention has been paid to the needs of the less bright pupils. The school is in a better state of efficiency than at the time of the last report. As the HT realises there is much to be done to meet unevenness of the classes and to provide for the more recreative (recreational?) sides of the work.
Congratulatory letter from the Education Committee on the satisfactory nature of the report.
Have applied for a permanent teacher to be appointed to Standard I as the work has been very much hindered owing to repeated changes. Four separate teachers have had charge of the class in one week.
There was a fair attendance of parents at the Christmas Tea.

Some 1929 entries:
Twenty children admitted (January). All children under five years old were refused admission.
HT regularly checks all classes in all subjects.
Miss B absent all week, having been excluded as a measles contact.
Have received word from the Education Office that the whole of the top class must be transferred to the Junior Department at Easter to make room for new entrants.
Schools closed for General Election (31st May)
(Ramsay MacDonald replaced Baldwin as PM to lead a minority Labour government.)

HT Miss Hall notified the Education Authority of her intention to retire from the teaching profession on 31st August 1929.