Like you and Len Payne I was also an ink monitor!! Having to mix up that powder and pour the mixture into those little porcelain inkwells! And those scratchy pens we had to write with!! Thank goodness Mr Biro came along! Another job I had was to re ink and load stencils onto the Gestettner ready for the school secretary to wind the handle and print the "daily orders" Funny thing was though when I was in the army I was made Troop Clerk and guess what? Yep I was using the Gestettners again! Chris ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Parker" <parker3250@rogers.com> To: "HampshireLife List" <HAMPSHIRE-LIFE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, April 28, 2007 5:59 PM Subject: [HAMPSHIRE-LIFE] Monitors I was the "Register monitor" in Redlands Lane Infants in 1941. One night a bomb landed on the school field, and all of us were forbidden to go anywhere near the crater. However at the morning break, I was the first to run out to it, and as a punishment I lost my exalted position. I must admire those who at that early age showed a scientific bent and were appointed as "ink monitors" As I was the last in Junior school to move from pencil to pen, my writing is still illegible, such a position would not have been for me. However, my research has shown that the monitors of Victorian era were somewhat different. This appears to have been the situation. Although the 1870 Education Act provided free and compulsory education for all, the minimum school leaving was 13. Some children were at that age employed as pupil teachers. In many cases there were as many as 100 student to a class and the teachers were assisted by "monitors", some as young as nine who had been instructed in their work by the head master. I would assume it was done for no pay, but it could be a stepping stone for a future career as a teacher. Thank you for your replies. David