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Students return to schools today but they’re unlikely to be walking back into buildings that are in the cleaning-care of a “reliable person” who will also light the fires, as they were in 1901.
The Island Archives has released a catalogue of materials from the late 19th century and early 20th century from its school's collection.
One photo captures the students of the “mixed” Torteval school in October 1897, while another shows the students a few years earlier – although the picture quality makes it hard to make out the precise year.
It said the children looked “thrilled” to be returning to the classroom.
In July 1901, the school’s logbook was closed for the final time that term noting the start of the summer holidays.
It was reopened again on September 2 stating that students had an extra week of holiday on top of the usual four.
The writer says this was done to allow the school to be repaired.
The superintended was said to have visited, and a “reliable person” had been selected to clean the premises and light the fires.
The collection also includes a certificate from the Diocese of Winchester, saying that the teacher Lois Langlois had passed exams in Religious Knowledge in 1906.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge”, the certificate is headed.
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and learn not unto thine own understanding... In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes,” it finishes.
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