A COLLECTION of historic log books has provided a headteacher with a fascinating glimpse into daily life at his school in the Victorian age.

Since his arrival at Roscow Fold Primary School in Stephens Street, Bolton, headteacher Nigel Ashton has been intrigued by a pile of immaculately-preserved log books dating from the 1860s which he found lying on shelves in his office.

Mr Ashton said: "When you pick up these log books, it really is difficult to put them down."

Back in the 1860s, the school just had three classrooms and a large school hall. Pupils studied in different "standards" instead of classes and there were only three or four members of staff.

The books are handwritten in ink and record attendance numbers, outbreaks of diseases such as typhoid and diphtheria, measurements of classrooms and punishments meted out to disobedient children -- often involving the cane.

Mr Ashton said: "It is so interesting to see the phrases they used to describe the progress of the school. On one day in 1870, the headteacher reported that 'Everything was going very nicely'. Can you imagine putting that in a report now?"

In the 19th century, the school had yearly inspections.

In 1873 the school earned the wrath of one inspector, the Rev Lewis Porter, who reported there was "little satisfactory teaching and that children could probably do as well without any teaching at all."

After unfavourable inspections, there are a number of entries recording the dismissal of staff.

In 1870, a female teacher was dismissed by the Rev Porter "for stupidity."

The log books show that in those days impertinence was punished by one or two cuts with the cane -- or a slap with an open hand.

On one occasion, lessons were suspended for a half a day so that pupils could be entertained by a man with a tin whistle.

Scattered throughout the log books are lists of songs the children used to sing. In 1871, children were singing "British Grenadiers" and "Britannia, the pride of the Ocean."

There are also numerous references to the weather -- as this had a massive effect on how many children came to school.