Further wanderings

The following brief extracts from Isle of Man elementary school inspection reports at TNA paint a particularly vivid picture:

ED 21/47210: Maughold New Central Board School, 9 July 1920

• 'Children should not be allowed to render songs in violently discordant fashion & slackness, hesitancy, indifference should not characterise physical exercises.'

ED 21/47211: Michael Parochial Board School, 13 July 1921

• 'The children recite well & sing sweetly; sight singing from both notations is well taught & with considerable success. Drawing presents pleasing features, appreciation of form, colour & finish seem to be well marked.'

ED 21/47213: Dalby Board School, 28 May and 2 June 1919

• '... the older children have recently made creditable progress, though they are still backward for their age.'

ED 21/47218: St Maughold's RC School, 6 and 18 July 1921

• '... energy in general is low, so they read silently & study in a vague, otiose way, not without enjoyment, but without scrutiny or criticism.'

Now that's the sort of bracing stuff that would knock our young people into shape!