History of the School - 1883-1907

Panic Over A Mouse

With the arrival of Sarah Frayling in September 1883 the school began a period of stability and excellence. Although she regularly sent the names of poor attenders to the attendance officer there were noticeably fewer references to punishment in the logbooks, despite the fact that she was obviously a firm disciplinarian.

During some snowy weather in 1886 she punished eight boys for being late in the afternoon. Their excuse was that they had been sliding and had not heard the bell! One entry reads: "The children were in a regular panic because a mouse was running about the school. I should never have thought they would be so silly".

One feels there was a great deal more behind the rather short entry of 20 June 1889 when she wrote: "As the children were returning from school this afternoon one boy pushed another into the ditch and broke his leg".

There were the occasional sad references to the death of a pupil, usually of the fever. Epidemics of colds, flu and whooping cough occurred regularly. One entry finished with: "Today one of my scholars Alice Knowles of Little West End was drowned when fetching water from a tank ten foot deep. It is thought that the wind must have blown her in.".

In the 1890 log book subjects such as history, geography, singing and drawing had their first mention.

Headmistress Miss Sarah Frayling was paid £55 a year before receiving an increase of ten shillings a month (50 pence). Four years later, she seeks another rise and is offered a further £3 10s (£3.50)
Several letters from Miss Frayling to the managers of the school give us an insight into the cost of teachers. In 1897 she received an annual salary of £73
Four years later she wrote requesting an increase and judging from the note scribbled on the letter it appears she was offered an increase of £3 l0s (£3.50) per annum.

By the time she left in 1907, after 23 obviously very successful years, attendance was almost 100 per cent and for the first time six children had gained certificates in the Diocesan Examinations