On reading the Summer (1998) issue of “Teynham News” under the heading Teynham Station, it brought to mind some years back when I was permitted to study the Teynham School Log Book for two days before it was safely deposited into the Kent Education Committee's Archives.  It seems that very little has changed in the last 130 years as this little snippet from the log book shows:

LETTER TO THE HEADMASTER
LONDON, CHATHAM AND DOVER RAILWAY CO.
TEYNHAM STATION

JUNE 20TH 1895.

Dear Sir,

I shall feel greatly obliged if you will give a last warning to the boys and girls before I take proceedings against them and have them severely flogged in prison.  It is a daily occurrence for a goodly number of them to climb onto the bridge and crawl along the parapet. If kindly warnings are useless the company are determined to prosecute the parents.

I am dear sirs,
Yours truly,
Tho's Riches

[Nothing ever changes,]  

 D.L. Sattin.

Monday April 4th 1870
School commenced today, average attendance during last quarter 52.

April 6th 1870
Margaret Rossiter and Annie Hylands brought their young sisters today as their mothers were going out

April 19th 1870
Mr French explained his reason for withdrawing his daughter Fanny French from the school, (viz) the distance to school is too short, he wished her to have a longer walk.

April 29th 1870
Jane Walters and Jemima Clark admitted this afternoon as half time girls.

May 3rd 1870
The Rev. Baker explained that irregular attenders won’t be allowed to go to the treat.

May 11th 1870
Sarah Goodhew the monitor absent from school today in consequence of the ague.

May 26th 1870
Ascension Day Children marched to Mrs Honeyball’s meadow for their second annual treat.

June 6th 1870
Sarah Goodhew returned today after having the ague, only 36 present today.

June 7th 1870
The school had a holiday.

June 8th 1870
Sarah Goodhew again absent being sick.

June 9th 1870
Sarah Goodhew returned to school this morning but appeared to be ill during the morning, I was compelled to send her home.
Rose Turner absent, her mother having sent word that she is required every alternate week to frighten birds from the fruit orchards, her sister Francis Turner taking turn with her.

Monday, 29th June, 1870
Sarah Goodhew returned to School after being sick.

June 21st, 1870
Several absent today on account of the Great Heat.

June 22nd, 1870 
Sarah Goodhew again absent caused by the return of the ague.

July 19th, 1870
Several absentees today, the girls having gone out harvesting.

July 22nd, 1870 
Closed school today for the harvest and hop picking holidays.

October 3rd, 1870` 
School re-opened today after having been closed for 10 weeks.

October 13th, 1870 
The Rev. Baker visited school today distributed cold plum pudding to fifteen of the girls this morning.

October 18th, 1870 
Anni Goodhew obliged to go home with an attack of the ague.

November 22nd, 1870
S. Marsh absent on account of the ague.

November 30th, 1870 
School year closed today.

December 21st, 1870 
Several of the little ones cried with the cold this morning, school children marched and exercised for half an hour.

December 22nd, 1870
Several absent today, owing to the severe cold weather.

December 23rd, 1870 
Closed school for Xmas Vacation, one week.

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January 2nd 1871 
Reopened School. Attendance very low.

January 16th 1871 
Emma Heathfield, Angelina Wigg and Annie Clark absent having no boots.

January 31st 1871 
Owing to prevalence of fever in the neighbourhood, have strood chloride of lime in the school today.

February 23rd 1871 
Inspector’s Report:
This School is poorly supplied with desks.
The R.I. is considerable.
Arithmetic is weak.
Under Mr. Challender the teacher.

March 31st 1871 
Sarah Goodhew the monitor left this afternoon, her parents having been anxious she should enter domestic service.

November 13th 1871 
Angelina Wigg gone to Faversham for change of air, having been subject to the ague for some considerable time.

December 30th 1872 
School opened today. Wish of H.M. Inspector.
The School to be mixed.*
The Infants to be taught in separate department under a Certificated Mistress.
{*The first mention of boys going to school, it was girls only up to this date.}

November 10th 1873 
Sent S. Wigg home for the week being having his neck covered with sores which not only looked objectionable but were very contagious amongst the children.

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January 27th 1874
Many of the infants who stay to dinner greatly alarmed by runaway horse.
None injured.

March 2nd 1874
The Relieving Officer of the district called and promised to pay Elithabeth Beechings school fee, her father being dead. 

[Note - Mr. Sattin draws attention to the unusual spelling of Elizabeth and that he remembers his Mother telling him that the fee was threepence (old money 3d.) plus you had to supply slates and slate pencils. The schoolchildren were still using slates and slate pencils when Mr. Sattin started school in the mid 1920s.]

April 1st 1873
Permission granted during summer months to open school at 8.30 and close at 11.30 in the morning and re-open at 1 o’clock and close at 3.30 in the afternoon because many children are required to take their parents’ meal to the brickfields.

April 6th 1873
The ague came back in force, a lot of children away.

January 11th 1875
Ella Thompson again seized with the ague so severely, compelled to send her home.

January 26th 1875
Mrs. Thompson has sent Ella to Sittingbourne for change of air. Rose Highsted who has been absent with the sickness died this morning.

May 1875
Attendance 95

June 1875
Attendance 99

January 31st 1876
Report of H.M. Inspector. The log book has not been properly kept. The register not made up week by week, the schoolrooms must be kept cleaner.

May 16th 1876
Sent W. Martin and E. Fletcher home to be washed, their mothers having sent them to school in a very dirty condition.

November 1st:1876
Compelled to send a little girl home her head being in a filthy state.

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October 20th 1880
Very wet morning very poor attendance, some are staying away for want of shoes, work being very scarce.

March 25th 1881
Admitted Sara Ann Beacon in her seventh year and Emily Beacon in her sixth year.

April 5th 1881
Fanny French very ill, not expected to live.

April 12th 1881
Fanny French died today.

April 20th 1881
William Jarvis gave a great deal of trouble, refused to sit down when told and commenced swearing frightfully, and when I held him in his seat he kicked out and scratched my hands. Tied his hands and legs with something soft until his temper was over.

May 16th 1881
Admitted a baby who cried so much, hindered lessons.

October 3rd 1881
Attendance 104.

October, 20th 1881
Marked register earlier and closed school earlier on account of J. Lake, Esq. (a well-known landowner) being buried.

December 20th 1881
Bad roads, excuse for children’s non attendance. This is especially the case of Conyer children. William Gage returned to school after being absent three weeks with his Mother and Father in a barge engaged in trade between Conyer and London.

March 20th 1882
Report from H.M. Inspector, children taught in a creditable manner.

September 2nd 1882
Walter Foster has fallen ill with measles. One family, the Uptons, are away on a barge.

October 18th 1882
The Uptons have come back off the barge, till they go away on the barge again.

October 20th 1882
Heard that Arthur Upton was dead, he had first measles then bronchitis.

February 28th 1883
James Wiles was buried today, he was present at the examination this day last week, he died of croup after a very short illness.

March 5th 1883
Elizabeth Green died of croup yesterday.

March 27th 1883
George Ongley died after a few days illness of a throat disease.

April 26th 1883
Stephen Stapley has returned to school, he looks very thin and ill as if starved, his father has had very little work this winter. Stephen complains of his chest aching and cried during the morning.

May 25th 1883 
Heard that Ernest Baldock is very ill.

May 28th 1883
Received word that Ernest Baldock is dead of bronchitis after very short illness.

June 25th 1883 
Admitted Ernest Ede over 5 years of age, he knows nothing.

August 1st 1883
Blanch Goodhew was away, her sister has typhus fever.

November 7th 1883 
Outbreak of ringworm.

November 22nd 1883 
Emma Wraight has small pox.

November 26th 1883 
Ellen Raynor and several others away with glass pox, find that Emma Wraight has glass pox.

December 1st 1883
Still ringworm and glass pox. Ellen Raynor now has whooping cough.

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January 9th 1885 
Many away very ill.

February 2nd 1885 
Received word this morning that Rosetta Foster died last night of fever.

February 16th 1885 
Little Johnny Rossitu died last Saturday.

March 23rd 1885 
More ringworm. Albert Ivory.

March 24th 1885 
More ringworm. Fanny Bensted.

May 8th 1885 
Find that Percy Upstone and Henry Radley are away on a barge.

July 7th 1885 
Abraham George away with ringworm.

July 15th 1885 
Thomas Parish away with ringworm.

November 6th 1885 
Edward Jarvis has ringworm.

November 9th 1885 
Mrs. Sifleet called as she was returning from the doctors to say Emma Sifleet has ringworm.

November 27th 1885 
The premises used for Voting. Parliamentary Election.

November 30th 1885 
Albert Ongley very ill.

December 9th 1885 
Almost half the school away ill. Reports of mumps and measles every day.

December 21st 1885 
So many with mumps and measles away that no record of names written. Only 39 attended.

January 6th 1886
Deep fall of snow still falling. Closed school as only 7 pupils arrived.

January 8th 1886
Only 8 pupils so holiday again.

February 8th 1886
Harriet and William Gage have gone away on their parents’ barge. Not expected back for a long time.

April 12th 1886
More ringworm. Admitted several children. Arthur Andrews is suffering from rickets and water on the brain.

May 1st 1886
Whooping cough and measles outbreak and also Black Fever.

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March 11th 1890 
Admitted John Sattin who will be six years old before close of school. He knows very little.

July 1890 
Heard that Frank Upton had gone with his father on the barge, not known when he will return.

April 13th 1891
Admitted Eliza Beacon who will be six in November.

May 2nd 1892 
Charles Sattin away ill.

June 1892 
Dr. Selby first mentioned.

July 10th 1893
Received a doctors certificate from Mrs. Sattin to the effect that her son Charles is suffering from pneumonia.

June 12th 1894 
Return of a number of boys and girls who left the upper standards of the school in the year ending 31st May, 1894 to follow the under-mentioned occupations:-

Mothers help 28; Removed 2 = Total girls 20.

Labour in brickfields 19, Labour on farms 5, Labour in gardens 3; Labour on barges 2, To union 1, Removed 3 = Total boys 33.

June 20th 1894
Letter to Master
L.C.D. Railway,
Teynham Station
June 20th

Dear Sir,

I shall feel greatly obliged if you will give a last warning to the boys and girls before I take proceedings against them and have them severely flogged in prison. It is a daily occurrence for a goodly number of them to climb on the bridge and crawl along parapet. If kindly warning is useless, the company are determined to prosecute the parents.

I am Sir,
Yours truly,
Thomas Richer (Station Master)

February 15th 1895 
10 minutes recreation allowed in the afternoon from this date.

February 18th 1895
Owing to the closing of Richardsons brickfields, several families have left the neighbourhood.

June 1897 
The Conyer and Teynham Peak people gave their children a tea in honour of the Queens Diamond Jubilee, reducing the attendance by 50.

August 7th 1897 
Boys and Girls away bond making for the harvest.

November 25th 1897 
Several cases of Typhoid fever have occurred at Conyer, five children taken to hospital.

June 9th 1899 
H.M.I. reports the urinals smell, that the brickwork should be cemented over, and some flushing arrangement apparatus provided.

June 19th 1899 
H.M.I. report attended to.

May 22nd 1900 

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May 25th 1900 
Received supply of fagot wood.

June 1900 
Scarlet fever and diphtheria.

June 3rd 1900 
Obliged to refused two children of three years. No room for them.

June 4th 1901 
Received one gross of copy books from Canadian Government through Lord Strathcona.

October 26th 1901 
Children gathering potatoes in the fields. One can earn 4d. a day.

March 18th 1904 
Half time Certificate received for Charles Lumar Edwards.

June 17th 1904 
Half time Certificate for Fred Andrews.

June 24th 1904 
Five Conyer families leave this week.

May 12th 1905
Boys under 14 employed in brickfields must attend school half time.

June 9th 1905
Labour Certificate for partial exemption only received from Fred Laker, Fred Hodges, Austin Harris, Earnest Black and Arthur Doe.

June 14th 1905
Certificates also from Richard Beacon, and Albert Wright.

October 2nd 1905
Mr. & Mrs. Potts took over the school.

1907 - No date entered
A.T. Gates and Ethel M. Burrows commenced duties as pupil teachers.

1908 - No date again 
Col. Honeyball called and asked that some of the poorest children be sent to the Coffee Tavern for soup. Six children were sent.

January 27th 1908 
The gallery removed from the main room of the infants; considering removing the diamond panes from the windows.

March 9th 1908 
Dr. Selby ordered that all the Conyer children were to be sent home (17 already at home with scarlet fever) for another week. The diamond panes of glass in the classrooms have still not been removed.

January 5th 1909 
Col. Honeyball called and gave tickets to poor children for soup.

January 7th 1909 
Col. Honeyball gave out more tickets for soup.

January 13th 1909 
Five children were sent for soup.

February 1909
Dr. Selby named a number of children suffering from starvation.

April 8th 1909
Admitted 5 children, one bare footed, Ivy Miles.

April 29th 1909
Dr. Gange ordered Elsie Perkins, a very delicate child, to leave school and run about in the fresh air. He thought that one pupil who had been away 8 weeks was a long time for a sprained ankle.

May 24th 1909
All children were given buns and cake by Col. Honeyball.

August 3rd 1909
Edith May Gladys Potts commenced duty as a pupil teacher.

1914-15
Diphtheria - school closed several times.

March 11th 1918
P.C. Cox called and requested that children be warned against taking sweets from strangers.

August 1st 1918
Ivy Muriel Harris commenced duty as a student teacher.

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May 15th 1919
By request of the K.E.C. the children marched to the railway station at 8.30 a.m. to salute the body of Nurse Cavell as it passed; with the Vicar’s permission school was closed for the rest of the day.

July 1919
By order of K.E.C. the children marched to the railway station and saluted the body of the late Captain Fryatt.

July 19th 1919
The children marched in procession through Greenstreet to Newgardens where they were entertained to tea, sports and sweets to celebrate the signing of peace. Continued complaints of cold classrooms even by H.M.I. of Schools.

April 12th 1920
A.T. Gates commenced duty as a trained certified teacher.

April 21st 1929
On the occasion of Princess Helena Victoria coming to Teynham to open the Y.M.C.A. hut, the children came back to school at 6 p.m. and then marched to the railway station and saluted the Princess*.

June 23rd 1929
School closed in the afternoon; children entertained to tea at Newgardens by Col. and Mrs. Honeyball, amusements were provided.

February 21st 1921
Mr. MacGregor visited the school and examined Percy Manser for a Labour Certificate.

July 14th 1921
School closed for the day on account of the visit of H.R.H. The Duke of York to Newgardens*.

October 22nd 1922
Molly Sattin fell down and injured her knee, now under the doctor.

*There are plaques in a wall in Station Road  near to the entrance to Honeyball Walk Estate commemorating these events.

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