Other typical examples of the effect of infectious diseases on Victorian schools are shown here. These come from the school diary of Coelbren School in 1896.
The first entry below, from the middle of November, reads:
"I find my attendance very bad, and I am afraid I shall be obliged to close owing to an epidemic in the place".
Three days later, on 16th November, the school was closed "owing to the measles, according to the Doctor's orders".

The second entry shown above is from the beginning of December, and it reads:
"Dismissed my pupils, for I have only 9 here, owing to the roughness of the weather and a great many ill".
This epidemic happened at the same time as a shutdown of local industry when "a large number of my children have left, owing to the works being on stop".
The death of children was much more common in Victorian times, and this is another sad feature of early school record books. There is an example on the next page...

More about the fear of epidemics at school...