Oakwood Halls School And Library

Patients were in the Sanatorium for long periods of time and the average stay was still 86 days or much longer in difficult cases. Occupation of patients during their stay was not always easy. Most patients could not get involved in an activity that might get them too excited or put too much strain on their voices. An activity such as reading was a much-welcomed occupation, so connections were made with Rotherham's Public Library and a Library at Oakwood was opened. This project was greatly speeded up by the keenness of the chief librarian, Mr. Boardman. The new library contained 350 books, these were chosen by Mr. Boardman. Much care and thought was put into making his choice because of patients differing reading abilities and preferences. In 1932 Alderman Harper officially opened the Oakwood Hall library and within its first year it proved very popular and gave much enjoyment to patients, a Mrs Eyre carrying out the duties of librarian when it opened.

When children were admitted Dr. Muriel Bywater would test them the school examiner. The children's treatment caused them to miss valuable schooling so reading and writing skills were often below average. Out of the 58 children only 6 could read and write with full competence. 16 of these children were unable to read and write at all. It was soon realised that the children needed extra mental stimulation as well as medical care, especially since Oakwood Hall Sanatorium opened many children had passed through its wards. Many of these children had poor reading and writing abilities and their long stay in the sanatorium was doing nothing to improve these conditions. This gave great concern to the Rotherham Corporation. So at the beginning of the 1920's a room in the sanatorium was turned into a School and Mrs Eyre was employed as teacher and librarian.

Typical school of the 1930's Around the 1930's many children in England and Wales attending school were in class sizes of 56 to 60. Some improvement had been made in education but many children's needs were not met. Many of the children attending the Sanatorium were generally below average intelligence, and often shown marked improvement during their stay in Oakwood School. Mrs Eyre concentrated on all the basic teaching methods like the Alphabet and mathematical tables. The school children also enjoyed an annual picnic where the children were taken to local beauty spots for a day of relaxing education. HM Inspector of special schools regularly visited the school. Most of the children would attend the school unless they were thought to be too ill to do so. Mrs Eyre resigned from her post in April 1937 and Mrs Sharples took over her duties as teacher.