Langford Mixed 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 brick and stone building, with stone dressings to windows, doors, etc
Main Room - 51ft x 20ft x 13ft to 17ft 6in, flat ceiling
The floor is badly worn.
The lighting is good, by six windows, 14 portions of which, also a gable bull's eye, open for ventilation.
Six Tobin Tubes and an Exhaust Ventilator are needed.
The room is in fair order.
It is heated by two open fires.
Cloak Room adjoining above - 14ft x 10ft 3in x 13ft to 17ft 3in
This is lighted by two windows, which are small. More ventilation is needed. A door should be provided leading direct into porch. This cloak room is not suitable for a class room.
A lavatory should be provided here.
Class Room in Centre - 18ft x 13ft 9in x 13ft to 18ft 9in
This has only one direct window, the other being shaded by the front porch. It is a dark room. A dormer light should be provided on the east side.
Four portions of windows, also ceiling openings, open for ventilation. The latter are not much used. Two Tobin Tubes and an Exhaust Ventilator are necessary.
Heating is by an open fire.
Class Room, South End - 27ft x 18ft x 13ft to 18ft 9in
This is lighted by four windows and one gable bulll's eye. Seven lights of the former open for ventilation. Four Tobin Tubes and an Exhaust Ventilator are necessary.
Heating is by an open fireplace.
N.B. - The doorway to back playground needs a porch, as it opens direct into yard.
Kitchen - 14ft x 11ft x 12ft 6in to 16ft 3in
This is a room connected to last named, having two small windows made to open. Here a close kitchen range is fixed for technical cooking lessons. This room needs more light and ventilation, also a door leading direct from lobby into same.
The above rooms and the open lobby, all need more or less repairing and should be cleansed, whitened and coloured, and the paint and stain and varnish work renewed.
Water Supply
This is by pump and well between school and old building now used as coal barns and ash house. The water is all too near rhw Churchyard, and dumb well receiving drainage of closets.
Boys' Closets
These are very low, badly lighted and ventilated, are close up to the Churchyard, and very offensive. They are each provided with trapped pans, flushed by a pail. The drains from here go to a dumb well, said to be built in open brickwork; if so, a proper receiver should be provided. This is very much water-logged locality. I would strongly urge the erection of proper earth closets and urinals, as there is no proper system of drainage.
Girls' Closets
These are a new block, light and airy, with pail flushed pan trapped closets. These were clean, but how long the drainage is likely to be effective is doubtful.
Master's House (Opposite the School on the East Side of the Road)
This is brick built and slated.
It has three rooms on each floor, which are as follows:
12ft x 12ft
11ft x 10ft
8ft x 5ft 9in
These rooms are small and all need renovating. A settlement in living room needs restoring. More air is necessary for pantry.
The sink drain in scullery is good.
A wash house is provided, containing copper.
A coal store adjoins last named.
The privy is offensive. A proper earth closet should be provided, also ventilation.
Water Supply
This is by a pump in scullery, and is said to be fairly good.
Outside Repairs and Painting
These should be done next year.