Daily accounts of life in 1867 in the church school in Linslade, then a fast growing town in Buckinghamshire, shows preoccupation with the weather and cleanliness. Children must be "warm and clean". On 28 February the school log records "Bitterly cold in the school – many of the children cried in the morning – let them come round the fire several times – discipline rather lax. Allowed younger children to draw instead of write to make them forget the cold by the amusement. Answered very well." On 5 March: "Very severe weather – fall of snow, several children absent. Obliged to take infants into upper school in consequence of wind being in contrary quarter, fire and smoke blown [down the chimney] into the infants school."
The next day, "Several children cried with cold, most of the children exceedingly clean" and so were given a one-hour holiday in the afternoon. A week later, the cold was still "intense" and attendance small. "Departed from general organization. Classed both divisions (infants and juniors) together, took lessons round the fire. Children arranged on forms two sides of a square." The next day "weather so severe only 11 children present", compared with an average of 37. Attendance picks up from 25 March "with mild weather" but cleanliness is still a problem. "Three boys punished for not going to the water closet – find children generally think it is too much trouble to go down the school yard and therefore cautioned them."