AUGUST is nearly over and parents all over the county will be shopping with their youngsters for new uniform items, shoes and equipment as the start of the new school term approaches.

To mark the end of the long summer school break we are taking a look at archive pictures showing aspects of educational life in Cumbria — everything from canteen dinners to charity projects.

Some of the images are from Barrow at the end of August in 1996 showing the traditions of a new term – including being sent shopping for new footwear, mathematical drawing instruments and instructional books.

For many youngsters, Stead and Simpson was the place to go for sensible school shoes.

The retail chain, which had branches all over the county, was noted for accurately measuring young feet while you sat on a padded low seat.

What counted as sensible has been a challenge to Cumbrian headteachers for decades.

In the 1970s, having platform heels was the height of fashion but schools were quick to set limits.

There have been rules since then on everything from punk or skinhead hairstyles to the length of skirts and socks.

Thirty years ago slide rules were being consigned to history by electronic calculators — but what every eight-year-old wants now is the latest mobile phone.

Many activities, or things most coveted by pupils, have faced bans or restrictions in county playgrounds.

These have included time-consuming electronic pets called Tamagotchis, noisy Clackers — which carried the risk of the two plastic spheres shattering — and Stretch Armstrong, where a tug-of-war over his long arms caused many black eyes and falls.

Displays at a recreated Victorian schoolroom at the Museum of Lincolnshire Life note that just a third of children went to school when Victoria came to the throne in 1837.

By 1870 all Cumbrian children aged five to 13 had to attend school by law – and many of their parents had to find weekly fees until they were abolished in 1891.

Throughout the county, classroom lessons concentrated on reading, writing and arithmetic.

The display notes: “Children learned by endless reciting and copying of words and numbers until perfection was achieved.”

Acting the fool, speaking in class, or falling short of high expectations could be met with harsh discipline.

It was noted: “Canings were frequent for misdemeanours, the dunce’s cap worn for poor work, soap used to wash away ill words and labels worn around the neck to denounce a gossip,”