Darowen School 11
To be a farmer's boy
An assortment of reasons for children being absent from school always appear in the early School Log Books of rural schools. Many are linked to the seasonal tasks on farms, when extra help from all but the very youngest can be vital.
Some examples are shown here from the Darowen records.
Log Book
"The farmers are shearing their sheep and some children are kept at home on that account".
County Archives
M/E/PS/18/L1
The extract shown above was from 17th September,1880 and reads:
"Corn harvest going on briskly. Many small children who
can be of no use are kept at home, because their mothers are
out working. Sewing and knitting as usual"
Children were always needed to help with bringing in the harvest, and where possible the school holidays would be arranged for the same time to minimise the disadvantage to the children of farmers.
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