Because the only form of heating was a fire, it was often cold and damp in the winter.
One large room
13 March 1873 Curtains to separate classes now fixed.
March 1874 Curtains to separate classes put up (4 classes)
24 Feb 1874 – door and need for light renders a whole group of desks useless.
Heating by fire
8 March 1875 Room narrowly escapes being burnt down owing to Sweeper’s carelessness.
Cost of repairs £1-14-7
Badly ventilated
Because of poor ventilation in the hot weather, several children left the classrooms sick with the hot and stagnant atmosphere. The school seemed to be too hot or too cold. Many of the windows were fitted with opaque diamond glass, and the poor light meant the gas had to be lit.
9 October 1876 Inspector comments say that room is badly ventilated.
7 Dec 1877 Ventilation in room is very bad, although all the windows are open all the day. The atmosphere of the room before the end of the afternoon is very vitiated (impaired)
Over crowded
17 Nov 1882 128 on books. Insufficient desk room
Smelly toilets
H.M.I Report 1883
“Deodorising materials should be more freely used in the offices and the attention of the authorities be called to that sewer, which causes the most offensive smell both in the playground and in the school room. .”
Poorly lit with gas lights
29 October 1893 – Afternoons get very dark.
5 Dec 1894 – A dense fog this afternoon made the room very dark, and even with the gas, the light seemed insufficient owing to the thick atmosphere penetrating into the room.
Sept 1896 Diamond window panes let in less light
7 Feb 1898 Skylight inserted
From 1900 they started to take the temperature of the school room.
19 Nov 1900 – temperature 48 F The cold interferes with the boys work as they are continually stopping work to blow and rub their hands.
22 Nov 1900 – 45 F
7 Jan 1901 – 32 F
13 Jan 1903 – 29 F
Aug 4 1904 – 90 F
10 July 1905 74 f
8 aug 1906 74F at 10am
