The school has an extensive copy of a logbook, which gives us an insight into the community of which it was a part. The school also has a copy a punishment book which reveals how little pupils used to get away with. Below can be found extracts from the logbook.
Page 26 – 12th Jan 1906 – Thirteen children have been absent all the week with Whooping Cough. Two little boys have left for a month or two, being too young to come to school during winter.
Page 37 – 18th May 1906 – Attendance has improved this week, one girl has been absent all week staying out with her mother Spring Cleaning
Page 37 – 29th June 1906 – Register not marked this morning, so many children absent on account of the heavy rain and some of those who came had to be dried.
Page 41 – 10th Aug 1906 – Broke up this afternoon for the Harvest Holiday. Attendance poor as some of the farmers at Blyford began harvest earlier than was expected.
Page 53 – 12th Apr 1907 – Several children admitted on Monday. One boy left for Halesworth Boys School, his father having taken him away as he was punished for insubordination. (Entry in Punishment book on 27th March 1907 states ‘Jack Barham age 10, Insubordination – A thrashing across his shoulders’.
Page 78 – 10th July 1908 – Arthur Butcher’s father came into the playground at 1.30 pm and rudely interrupted both myself and the scholars when assembling in lines. I was detained for fully 10 minutes in the playground alone as he refused to allow me to pass: meantime he was shouting in a vulgar and insulting manner about things totally unconnected with school work or the scholars: adding that he would have smacked me in the face had he seen me in the morning. He then rudely addressed Miss Symonds in the classroom, ordering one of his children to go home. Mr Ling and Mr Savage had to be sent for before I could get into school to attend to my duties at all.
Page 82 – 18th Sep 1908 – The Rev. Beloe paid his annual visit on the 11th of September and Mrs Beloe distributed prizes of thimbles to the three best girls and pocket knives to the three best boys.
Page 87 – 5th Mar 1909 – Percentage very low on account of weather and sickness. Excuse in many cases ‘having no shoes’.
Page 111 – 20th Feb 1911 – Alan Wigg age 8 absent, message received from Mother ‘afraid it will rain’. The 81st time this boy has been absent since the beginning of the school year, for more or less trifling excuses. Lewin Wigg, brother has missed 75 times in the same period.
Page 147 – 24th May 1916 – Empire Day celebrated. Games on Mr Gilbert’s meadow in the afternoon.
Page 170 – 3rd Oct 1918 – Half-holiday for blackberrying – 400 lbs have been collected in the three half days.
Page 188 – 28th February 1922 – Whole days holiday in celebration of the Princess Mary’s Wedding Day. In the afternoon the children were entertained at the Halesworth Cinema by Mrs Easton. Buns, oranges and sweets were distributed and an enjoyable afternoon was spent.
Page 245 – 29th Sep 1924 – Admitted 29 children from The Home. Almost all are very backward indeed for their ages. Attendance Officer called.
Page 264 – 3rd June 1925 – School closed for Measles till 15th June – 71 children absent
Page 265 – 15th June 1925 – School re-opened after being closed for Measles – 37 present out of 105
Page 396 – 2nd October 1931 – Punch & Judy Show in hall. Children admitted for a 1d.