Colden School was opened in 1878 shortly after the education reform act. Since that date successive head-teachers have kept detailed records of the day to day running of the school. Here is an extract from one of these, by Alfred Crossland, Principal Teacher.

“This is a new school in a very wild and much neglected district. It has only been about four or five months and it would of course be uesless to look for good results. A large proportion of the first standard know next to nothing; the remainder are fairly proficient at writing and arithmetic but read poorly. The work of the higher standards is, all things considered very creditable, but the general intelligence of the children must be more carefully cultivated. The infants are very backward. Discipline is very fair but the children are rude and unmannerly.”

Picture courtesy of Tim Green at http://www.flickr.com/photos/atoach/