| Description | This log book contains the entries relating to the Victoria Road building, and the subsequent extension.
P5 Mar 1897
Summary of Inspector’s Report
“A large new school will soon be completed, by the erection of which all overcrowding and the use of an objectionable hall will cease.”
P46 26th Feb 1897
“Have commenced to make arrangements in view of the opening of Walker Road School and my transfer to Frederick Street on the 8th Mar.”
P48 5th Mar 1897
“There have been only nine meetings this week, owing to so many things requiring to be packed up for transference either to Frederick Street School or Walker Road School, which is to be opened on Monday, 8th March 1897.”
P49 12th Mar 1897
“On account of Walker Road School having been opened on Monday 8th inst, this School now ceases to admit pupils beyond StIII…”
“All apparatus including maps, Science Charts, drawing utensils, models etc suitable for St IV and upwards, have been removed from the school, as well as a considerable amount of apparatus from the junior divisions of the school.”
P63 30th Dec 1897
“Fourth Standard has been sent on to Walker Road School.”
P74 7th Oct 1898
“Standard IV has now commenced work in this school. Miss Walker has charge of them mean time.”
P95 22nd Dec 1899
“Intimated to pupils holiday on Monday, being Christmas Day, in accordance with intimation from School Board.”
P107 24 Aug 1900
“School reopened on Tuesday 14th but on account of building operations pupils had to be dismissed until Monday 20th inst.”
P115 11th Jan 1901
“Attendance in Infant Department not as good as before closing on account of an epidemic of weak eyes.”
P120
Inspector’s Report March 1901
“The work has been considerably interrupted by the building of a large addition to the premises, and two of the classes have had to be taught during the year in a separate hall not very well suited to the purpose.”
P123 12th April 1901
“On account of the tradesmen not having completed the work in the Senior Class Room until Tuesday morning no Class could assemble in the Manual Instruction Room on that day.”
P140 16th May 1902
“Refused admission to three families this week, until after 28th May, when a number of families may be removing.”
P152
Inspector’s Report, March 1903
“The general organisation is good, but, from the increasing population of the neighbourhood, the accommodation has become barely adequate, especially in the lower classes.”
P196 2nd Feb 1906
“Classes were removed from the old part of the building and accommodated in the new on Monday.
“The Infant Department occupies four rooms on the ground floor at present. The Cookery Room is used as a classroom for Class V.”
P216 31st May 1907
Cookery Report- by Cookery Inspectress.
…”A course of lessons in Housewifery is recommended for the senior girls of this school. An adjoining small room could easily be adapted for the purpose, and the lessons would prove a valuable addition to those being given in Cookery and Laundry Work.”
P267 28th Jan 1910
“School was dismissed today at 10am on account of the classrooms being unfit for habitation, the steam pipes having become frozen during the night. The system of heating seems to be unsatisfactory, as the uncomfortable state of several of the classrooms during bad weather is detrimental alike to the health of class teachers as well as of pupils.”
P291 9th Jan 1911
“Mr Duncan Clarke MA was transferred from St Paul St School to Victoria Rd school. The whole staff was present.”
P292 9th Feb 1911
“A course of Cookery for Boys, who will go to sea when they leave school, was begun today.”
P341 11th Aug 1914
“The school being used by the military authorities in consequence of the existence of a state of war between this country + Germany, the scholars assembled in a field, under their old teachers. New classes being formed the children were dismissed for the day while teachers met to arrange seating accommodation in three halls set aside for us by the School Board.”
P343 7th Sept 1914
“We re-occupied our school today. Henry J Smith (Seacraft) has been called to the front.”
P343 18th Sept 1914
“Under date 16th inst. Mr Crawford approves of the teaching of Seacraft being undertaken by Misses Hutcheon, Smith + Craib during Mr Smith’s absence at the front.”
P344 2nd Nov 1914
“The Feeding Centre is now Torry Mission Hall.”
P345 3rd Dec 1914
“The whole school has greatly interested itself in forwarding articles of comfort to the Expeditionary Force in France. The chief item consists of 183 pairs of socks knitted by children from wool partly supplied by the Board and partly from parents.”
P 347 12th Jan 1915
“Arthur Black, having enlisted, no arrangements have been made to carry on his work at this date.”
P347 28th Jan 1915
“Alexander Rennie 53 Orchard St took over Mr Black’s duties in Manual Instruction today.”
P356 4th Oct 1915
“The School Board has decided to give the use of this school to the military authorities and during the period of occupation we are to share Walker Road School with the pupils there.”
P356 11th Oct 1915
“We took possession of Walker Road School this afternoon. The arrangement is that we are in session during the afternoons until Christmas, after which for three months we occupy the school in the forenoons.”
P361 3rd April 1916
“Mr Henry J Smith resumed work today as teacher of Seacraft.”
P369 26th Jan 1917
“A gratifying amount of interest is taken in our War Savings Association, 177 Certifs being bought to date.”
P375 14th Aug 1917
“School was resumed this morning and still at Walker Road though there is an early promise of a return to our own building.”
P377 1st Oct 1917
“We received orders to remove from Walker Road School back to our own + the work was most expeditiously done with the help the scholars were able to render.”
P381 1st Feb 1918
“The ‘Tank’ has been in town since Monday 28th Jan + we as a War Savings Association have been busy making an extra effort.”
P388 23rd Aug 1918
“Typhoid is reported in 17 houses in the vicinity of the school. The absenteeism is considerable.”
P390 14th Oct 1918
“Influenza added to Typhoid has gradually been getting a hold + today has reached considerable dimensions, there being 18.5% of children absent + two teachers.”
P390 15th Oct 1918
“The absenteeism today is 19%. By order of the Board the school is closed from this afternoon till Monday 28th inst, by which date it is hoped the influenza epidemic will have abated.”
P390 11th Nov 1918
“Attendance was resumed today after a longer interval than was anticipated at first, and the following was the state of attendance, viz
Supply Division 85.6, Senior 88.9, Junior 85.6, and Infant 86.2, and for the whole school 86.6”…
“News having come at 11am of the signing of an Armistice between the Allies & Germany, the various Divisions of the school met + snag the 2nd Paraphrase + ‘God save the King’. A ‘double’ attendance was in the circumstances thought suitable.” (Cont p391) “After writing the foregoing a messenger from the School Board Office brought a verbal request to close at once so one attendance was cancelled.”
P393 21st Feb 1919
“The school was closed again today because of a recurrence of Influenza.”
P394 17th Mar 1919
“After being closed for three weeks attendance was resumed today.”
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