Houghton Regis National 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.
This is a good built block of brick and tiled buildings, with stone work to doors and windows; fairly light and airy.
Main Room Next House - 31ft x 19ft x 12ft to 17ft
Lighting by three, three-light windows.
Ventilation by three Transom lights and four openings in ceiling.
Heating is by an open fire.
A Lavatory is provided in this room with a waste bucket.
Transverse Room - 31ft x 19ft x 12ft to 17ft
Lighting by one large stone window and three side windows.
Ventialtion by five pivot lights and one ceiling vent.
Heating by an open fireplace.
A Tortoise Stove in Store needs restoring, or a new one providing for these rooms.
These rooms are divided by a framed moveable stained and varnished partition.
Infants Room - 18ft x 16ft x 12ft to 16ft
Lighting by three ample windows.
Ventilation by five pivot lights and one ceiling ventilator.
Three Tobin Tubes should be provided, alson one exhaust Ventialtor.
Heating by an open fireplace.
A Lavatory is provided in this room with waste to bucket.
All Above Rooms need repairs, cleansing, whitening, colouring, painting, staining and varnishing. A Dado should be painted 4ft 6in high instead of colour, as before; and obscure glass fitted in the lowest panes of the two large room windows.
The floors, doors and all fastenings need repairing.
Room Off First Large Room, West Side - 18ft 6in x 16ft x 12ft to 16ft
This is not necessary for teaching. It is used for drill purposes and as a Store.
Lighting by two windows, also a Gable light.
Ventilation by five pivot lights.
Heating by an open fire.
This room needs only washing down, repairing, cleaning, whitening and colouring.
Front Porch - 5ft 4in x 5ft
This needs cleaning and restoring
Boys' Lobby - 13ft 6in x 5ft
This needs restoring and a dado painting four coats. MOre light and air are necessary.
Girls' Lobby - 12ft x 5ft
The remarks for boys' lobby apply to this.
A Barn for School Coals is provided.
Offices
Boys' and Girls' Blocks.
These are lofty, light and airy common privies; cesspit and coverlid in passage way. They were clean on my visit, but are too near the School windows for the purity of air, and should be converted into proper earth closets.
Water Supply
No drinking water is provided for Schools.
Playground
This appears to be little used, as it is much overgrown. The Village Green is evidently more appreciated.
House
This is a good roomy house, containing:
Entrance Hall and Stairway - 10ft x 6ft
Front Room - 14ft x 12ft
Living Room - 13ft x 12ft
Kitchen - 13ft x 9ft 6in
Pantry - 5ft 6in x 3ft
Three Bedrooms over.
Cellar under Stairway.
Soft water tank and pump only.
The house pail closet is very foul, and should be made into an Earth Closet.
This needs renewing entirely throughout.
External Repairs and Painting
External repairs to roofs, barges, chimnies, walls, fences, gates, doors, and windows are necessary, also painting etc as before, to the entire premises.
A Barn for coals is provided.