Barton School in 1904

Bedfordshire County Council became Local Education Authority for the county in 1903, following the Education Act 1902. In 1904 the CountySurveyor reported on the condition of all the council and voluntary schools in the county under LEA control, excluding those on Bedford and Luton Boroughs which had their own executive arrangements. The surveyor's report [ref: E/SA2/1/1] took the form below.

The School is a substantial brick and tile building, of fair height, and well lighted. 

Main Room - 50ft x 19ft 6in x 11ft to 22ft 

Lighting is ample, by six windows. 

Ventilation by six pivot lights, and two in gables. 

Six Tobin Tubes and an Exhaust Ventilator should be provided. 

Heating by a large Tortoise Stove and one open fireplace. 

Floor is worn very thin. 

This room needs generally restoring and renovating throughout. 

Class Room - 20ft x 12ft x 11ft to 17ft 

Lighting by three windows and a gable light, fair. 

Ventilation by three pivots and gable light. 

Three Tobin Tubes and on Exhaust Ventilator are necessary here. 

Heating by a Tortoise Stove. 

A stone slab should be provided for this to stand upon to protect the floor. 

The room needs entire renewal. 

Infants' Room - 35ft x 17ft x 11ft to 19ft 

Lighting by six windows is sufficient. 

Ventilation by six casements opening. Four Tobin Tubes and an Exhaust Ventilator are necessary. 

Warming by a Tortoise Stove. A stone base is needed as above. 

This room needs entire renewal. 

Large Lobby - 25ft 10in x 6ft 5in and 10ft 8in x 7ft 

The roof is very poor and unsound; this and skylight should be made sound. 

The windows need repairing and making to open o admit light and air. 

The lobby needs generally repairing and restoring throughout, also all fittings. 

N.E Porch - 10ft x 8ft x 8ft 

The roof needs making sound, ventilation providing, and all throughly renewing as before, also fittings. 

Offices

These are removed from the school. They are common privies and on my visit during the holidays were fairly clean. The buildings need repairs and renovation, also cleansing. They certainly should be converted into earth closets. 

Playground 

This needs re-adjusting and a new surface drain providing to intercept the water to prevent it running into the large cloak room and passage way. 

External Repairs and Painting

These are needed throughout, viz: repairs to roofs, chimneys, walls, fence gates, doors, windows and fastenings. 

Drains 

These need putting into good working order. 

Water Supply

None in the schools. 

Coal Barn is provided in School Yard

House

This is a very old building, having one large room next School, also Hall, stairway, good sitting room next road, Larder, small Back Room and Scullery. One good Bedroom only, other rooms are very poor indeed, they are not much better than lofts. 

Master's Privy in Barn 

This, it is proposed to reconstruct shortly. It should be converted as above closets. 

Water Supply

This is by pump in the Scullery near to the school.

House roof is very poor, needinf repairs.