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Chapter 2b: Schooling.  

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"From the youngest to the oldest, the scholars climb about the walls unchecked!"

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Inspector's Report, Haverton Hill Infants School Logbook. 26.7.1907.  

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In the 1841 Census a school master is given as residing at Port Clarence. The 1851 Census mentions a school mistress as living in Haverton Hill. The first mention of an educational organisation of some sort is revealed in an 1856 directory where a day school is mentioned in the area (62). The Port Clarence National School records date back to 1863. St. Thomas's Roman Catholic school has records from 1927, deposited in the archives. Haverton Hill Infants School records begin in 1887, though the school must have existed at an earlier date.  

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All the statements in the Haverton Hill Infants School, logbook are written by the Head Teacher in her small office. The comments clearly bring home the problems of running a small, underfunded school in a deprived area. The first comment for September 1887 states "The children are rather noisy after a month's holiday" (63). One child had died, aged four and three new ones had been admitted, making a total of 119 children on role, 64 were boys, 55 girls. 

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 The lessons were functional and factual. Subtractions, plain knitting and musical drill were supported by object lessons in the elephant, camel, ostrich, eagle, plant, cotton, post office, railway, hand, mole, tea, geography definitions, shoemaker, baker, leather, clothing, etc. New songs for the year were, "A Child's Fancy, Mayday, Raise Your Hands, and The Cobbler". Children were also expected to learn recitations on "The naughty little sparrow", "Feeding the chickens", "Jenny Wren and Tiny Tim" (64).  

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In the 1888 Inspector's report certain problems that would concern the school for many years, were made clear. There had been several changes of teachers since the last report. The school was now

 

     "...greatly overcrowded, leading to a general falling off in all standards of work. The present teacher I now have reason to believe will render the school thoroughly efficient, when the room about to be erected is placed at her disposal. Discipline must be improved. The higher cant for singing cannot be recommended, otherwise favourable terms for the general condition of the department".  

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Four female members of staff were employed at this time: Bateman, class teacher and head teacher; Heslop, probationary teacher, who had passed favourably, but should attend to geography and history; Ferguson, probationary teacher; Smith, probationer.  

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In 1890 there was "a prevalence of sickness in the village" (65). Many epidemics would sweep the village and its children. In this case it was Whooping Cough. Scarlet Fever resulted in only 59 out of 118 pupils being present at the end of the year. Next year, teacher, L. Smith was put in charge of Standard 2, children due to the increase in numbers of children.  

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Discipline was becoming more difficult to maintain in the overcrowded and understaffed school. It was the duty of the Head Teacher to see how her staff were developing, despite also having eye to teach and administrate.  

M. Ferguson's lesson on bread was summarised as "dwelt long on making, not enough on qualities of a loaf. Not sufficient time for children to think, before she took answers, therefore only active ones were worked".  

Education was a haphazard process for the poor, the school "Admitted a boy named Harry Wheel, who is turned six years of age and who knows nothing whatsoever!" (66).  

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Half day holidays were not too uncommon, polling days and special events like Mr. Bell of Bell Brothers Iron Works at Port Clarence, becoming Mayor of Middlesbrough, brought welcome release from school chores, though in this case many children were already absent with Chicken Pox.  

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During 1883 the staff continued to work under great difficulties. Such a deprived area had more than its fair share of problem children. The logbooks relate many incidents that took place:

 

     "Yesterday a boy of 5 years came to school after being absent for 10 months. He is a strong, healthy boy and has only been running wild for years now. This morning an elder brother tried to drag him to school, but he escaped. I sent a teacher to his mother, she says "He won't come so he must run". He is in this department in another year, we will not get credit for his knowledge. This is not an exceptional case. I think they are occurring weekly" (67).  

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Other problems which came with regularity were new arrivals, who had varying standards of education and the problems of absences for reasons other than illness. "Two girls aged 7 and 9 years arrived, one from Cheshire, who said she had been in school, but she could not do anything at all. The other has turned 8 years and never been to school at all! .... Absences are now due to abstentions by parents rather than illness" (68).  

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In 1895 new desks were put around the school room gallery, to make use of all remaining space. Mumps was prevalent and the weather was severe during winter and spring. Scarlet Fever followed in autumn, forcing the school to be closed by the medical officer so that it could be fumigated. 79 children were already absent by this time. Whooping Cough arrived in time for Christmas. 

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Attendance is mainly described as poor throughout the whole of 1896. However, on some day's attendance could be good, "I attribute this week's improved attendance to the fact that people here know it is about exam time, which they regard as a sort of gala day" (69). Charlie Flounders was absent for a whole year with "Bad eyes" (70). This year he had not reached 100 attendances and had been "off since last Thursday having his clogs mended". When attending school, children were often late, arriving up to an hour late on mornings and afternoons. Despite protests to parents there was no improvement.  

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School was and is a breeding ground for germs and viruses, many people were ignorant of basic sanitation, helping to spread disease. The Head Teacher noted the following. "I received word from a parent this week that her two boys were very ill with Scarlet Fever. I saw the younger on Sunday afternoon, Monday night and Wednesday Noon and the elder on Wednesday playing among other children. If this is fever, is it any wonder that it is spreading!" (71).  

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Not surprisingly staff absences began to increase due to the intolerable teaching conditions. The youth of the staff also caused problems: a number of the probationary teachers were in their teens. The Inspector's report for 1901 states. " Although the work is still much inferior to average, some progress has been made. The order was much better than formerly at the outset, but it degenerated seriously during the morning. It is impossible for the Mistress to supervise efficiently owing to the weakness of her staff .... The class of infants taught by M. Ferguson is habitually too large. The managers should consider the question of improving the staff".  

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The Head Teacher made records on thermometer readings in January 1902 showing the problems of inadequate heating in the school (72).  

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Table 5. School room temperatures, January 1902 in degrees Farenheight.  

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January 6th,            9.a.m:    47 Farenheight               11.a.m. 49 Farenheight.  

8th " "                                 49        " " "                               51  

13                                     33                                            41  

27                                     32                                            41  

February 9th                        34                                            43  

1 1                                    30                                            42  

12                                     31                                            44  

13                                     29                                            38  

14                                     32                                            40  

17                                     30                                            41  

18                                     34                                            41  

19                                     40                                            49  

20                                     40                                            48  

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Class size had risen to 73 children per class on average, but despite being packed into the available rooms, temperatures were often at or near freezing. The Head Teacher eventually managed to prove that a stove was needed as well as the fireplace.  

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Conditions were no better in January 1907. A poignant description of winter conditions for the children reads "Certainly the weather has been cold, and the school is not what it ought to be respecting warmth. I have passed children who were trying to work with lips blue trembling with cold" (73).

  

 The Inspector's report for the year states that the fabric of the building which had been in part painted and coloured last summer was "now scratched, marked and of dirty appearance" (74).  

Teachers were criticised. "Disorder, inattention and disinterest were caused by want of power of control, resource and interesting handling" (75).  

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Two of the younger staff come in for criticism:  

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     "Not only are the two teachers indifferent as to the progress of their classes but they are also fairly frequently absent and very frequently late. One official warning seems to have had no effect. Many children are unpunctual and some wander away during recreation time and return when they please!" (76). 

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Problems continued to the end of the year, when staff absence brought work to a near standstill. Despite these overwhelming issues Christmas became a brief time when problems could be forgotten. The children had a christmas tree and several of the school managers came along to hear singing and give out prizes to those with good attendance. A gramophone was brought by one manager for the children's enjoyment.  

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Christmas was soon over though, and fevers and Eczema came with the new year. A large class was without a teacher and there was a desk shortage. Morale soon dipped accordingly, and the Head Teacher found dealings with the young staff particularly difficult:

 

    "The cause I think of the bad attendance in class 2 is want of tact on the part of the teacher and the use of too much harshness. Of course, at every opportunity I am endeavouring to mend this, but what is a girl of seventeen to such a class!" (77) and “Class 2 is lost thoroughly due to bad attendance. It is most disheartening for the teacher in the classroom. Work is almost at a standstill .... this has been for 3 months now" (78)."  

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A private conversation only had the effect of one day's improvement, 

   

“I refer to corporal punishment, any sort of stick is used, late children, restless children, inattentive, ignorant all receive the same perpetual stick. I have strictly forbidden it with the above result" (79).  

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     “I am sorry to report that because I have spoken about several neglected rules, I have only received sullen insolence from two of my assistants. Since the report last year, until Christmas things seemed to improve, but since then a spirit of discontent seems to have prevailed, a grumble at everything" (80).  

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Despite all, four staff with five classes and 250 children struggled on. The children were "simply packed" (81), into the classrooms and what work could be done was done.  

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The Inspector's report of 1908 lists the main problems:  

1/ Serious overcrowding in inferior accommodation.  

2/ Defective warming of main room.  

3/ Standard 1 Room, badly lighted.  

4/ No office for teachers. 

5/ Roof leaking badly.  

The report concludes that:" I am sorry to find many defects I never thought existed".  

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Not surprisingly the Head Teacher took what opportunities she could to let off steam in this particularly bad year: 

 

      "22nd of June: This has been a dreadful day in school. Close and wet atmosphere and no play time. To commence, not more than 30 children were here for 9 a.m. Then instead of class 2 passing books around, children are sent round and they and the class talk as they like. I keep working at class 3 till it is impossible to work for uproar and disorder. Miss Hart is too noisy and unsympathetic for the class she has and I have to leave work to sort the little ones. Miss Morrison is cramped into a corner where she can hardly breathe and poor Miss Dawson is left to manage a class too large" (82).   

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And a little while later: 

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     "Lack of judgement, tact and common sense shows daily amongst the staff. For years I have always taken charge of porch duties myself, as everyone else always had something else to do, or if sent, did it so badly that no one else might have been there!" (83). 

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 In 1910 the children came under concerted attack from Chicken Pox, Ringworm,  Diptheria, Whooping Cough, and Measles. The 1912 attendance was poor, due to a combination of cold, March weather, “bad boots” and Mumps. Attendance tended to decrease also because the temperatures in school were far below the "crowded, unventilated homes of the children. Some are neither fed nor clothed to cope with it" (84).  

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The arrival of an army aeroplane at Seaton Carew in 1914 gave the children a day off, walking over to see it. Bad eyes, Scabies, ST. Vitus Dance and Typhoid stalked the district. At the end of the war, staff were required to help in food rationing of the district.  

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The freezing cold of winter made the children "eager to attend and stimulated by the promise of fires" (85). The Inspector's report for the year 1921, hints at the increase in size of the settlement. Extensive house building had occurred all around the school. The number on role had risen from 137 children to 353. Class sizes were still large between 53 and 65 children. The existing staff were considered enough for 335 children maximum. The school itself had accommodation for a supposed 300.  

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1922 saw major changes in staff. Three married teachers received their notice and another 2 resigned. Staff proved difficult to replace and one class was excluded from school for six months until a new teacher could be found.  

In 1926, Head Teacher, Bateman finally took well deserved retirement after at least 39 years sterling effort against overwhelming problems.  

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It seems that the coming of the new Head Teacher brought in more funding for the school and improved conditions. The new Head Teacher was praised for intelligent methods and attractive appearance of the rooms. Water colours from the Head Teacher and children were on display. A school open day had marching songs, games and dances. 400 parents turned up for the occasion.

 

By 1935 there was 201 on role. Improvements had led the Inspector to mention: "Less evidence of indistinct and reluctant speech, but articulate and fluent speaking had not yet been reached. The school was even described as pleasant (86).  

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The coming of the war led to Whit Holiday being cancelled by the government, though only 42% of children attended. The boiler broke down leading to children working in their outdoor clothes. In 1947 the school afternoon was changed from 1.15 to 3.45 p.m. to avoid the shipyard workers. A new Head Teacher took over. 

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In the fifties the school began to suffer from the problems of a restricted site. Housing had surrounded the once open site on the edge of the old village. 200 pupils were on role aged 4-8 years. Trips became more common. In 1956 a group of 63 children were taken to the Billingham, Roman catholic church to see the Little Theatre group. Later, trips were organised to see Alice in Wonderland and Toad of Toad Hall at the Billingham Technical College. Christmas as it had always been, continued to be a time of nativity plays, parties, mimes and fairy tales.  

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The sixties saw a steady decline in pupils, by 1969 only 105 children were on role, though the number rallied shortly afterwards to 124. The previous year the school had been transferred from Durham Education Department to Teesside Education Department. Only 81 children remained on role in 1970. They were having school dinners at 9 pence each or 5 for 44 pence.  

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From 1971, the Infants school and the nearby Junior school were to be merged as one. The Junior school was a much bigger organization with 8 classrooms, kitchen, science laboratory, staff room and various huts. At the end of the year, it was renamed Haverton Hill Primary School.  

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In 1975 the proposed closure of the school was considered along with the Port Clarence schools. The last entry for 1976 states: "On 20.7.76. The school was permanently closed at 3.30 p.m." (87).

 

A hard story then, of dedicated teachers, with next to no resources and suffering more defeats than victories. Yet they never gave up and succeeded in giving continuous education throughout Haverton's history. The children too endured, despite the cold, crowded, winter classrooms, learning whatever they could in harsh environments. And when school had finished, what then? At 14 years of age or earlier, it was off to sell their labour for a pittance in steel or salt, where conditions would soon make the rigours of school life seem rosy. 

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 FOOTNOTES.  

62. Whellan's Directory of County of Durham, 1856, p. 475. Cleveland County Archives

63. Haverton Hill Infants School, Logbook, 29.8.1887. Cleveland County Archives

64. ibid.  

65. ibid., 2.2.1890.  

66. ibid., 10.10.1892.  

67. ibid., 13.6.1893.  

68. ibid., 6.10.1893.  

69. ibid., 6.6.1896.  

70. ibid., 29.5.1897.  

71. ibid., 10.6.1896.  

72. ibid., 6.1.1902.  

73. ibid., 25.1.1907.  

74. ibid., 26.7.1907.  

75. ibid.  

76. ibid.  

77. ibid., 24.1.1908.  

78. ibid.  

79. ibid., 19.3.1908.  

80. ibid., 20.3.1908.  

81. ibid.  

82. ibid., 22.6.1909.  

83. ibid.  

84. ibid., 21.1.1913.  

85. ibid., 27.9.1918.  

86. ibid., 10.3.1935.  

87. ibid., 20.7.1976. 

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Chapter 3 Daily Bread