The first log book at Spring Lane School which commences on November 12th 1874 is the beginning of a long history of record keeping at the school, excerpts from which are documented in this article.
The first page of the Log Book records “On the following Monday (!6th November 1874) the school was opened for the admission of scholars when 124 infants were admitted in the morning and 21 in the afternoon”.
In December, 1874 the Log Book shows low attendance “due to very poor weather and cold classrooms”, many children were inadequately clothed and some did not have shoes.
In 1881 the log book records poor attendance due to a number of reasons as follows: “Bank Holiday races, fair, circus, whooping cough, scarlet fever, fog, snow, deaths, bad eyes, measles, fever, school pence” – the parents were unable to pay.
The school was closed by the Medical Officer of Health on October 30th, reopened January 2nd, 1882 due to a measles epidemic in which several children died; the school was closed for eight weeks.
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