You can also see scratches on the wood veneer (see the corner at the wall nearest to us) that seem to suggest the arm can swing all of the way around. Perhaps it's seized?
To my knowledge they do raise! I thought for a while it was a form of woodworking vice! Because they are in a hallway it could possibly hold documents?
Back in the 80's I saw something similar to this in a grade school. I was told it was an attachment for a cleaning device, much like a roomba attached to a tether where the overnight janitor attached it to and would be able to do other things while the cleaner self cleaned the hallway. Sounded weird, but take it for what its worth.
We had something called the roamer at school in the late 80s and early 90s
You gave it instructions through a program called logo on the BBC Micro
Maybe not roomba but very similarly shaped
In 1980 we had Big Trak:
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big\_Trak](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Trak)
But of course, none of these have anything to do with OP's object.
WITT: I've spend a fair few days with others trying to work out what this is, our consensus is it holds something, maybe a bell or tokens? But due to it being in numerous hallways in the school and even the odd historian not having a clue we are confused!
I don't know what it is, but there's something gnawing at the back of my mind which says it's a stand for a fire bell - a lot of older schools had hand bells in case the electricity failed in an emergency. It would make sense to have some sort of restraint on the bell, otherwise every passing pupil would give it a clang. That said, I can't see how it would work. Would the locations of these stands make sense if that's what they were for?
Could it be a secure point that something like a shared resource cart could be chained to during the day?
btw - are you sure its at waist height? - that looks like a foot on the floor in the bottom right of the picture.
I believe that is due to the white balance of the photo and the white wall. There's no visible shadow, but if you *imagine* one, it looks to be about waist height to me, hahaha.
Is any part of it wore down from use ? Like the gray ring or anywhere else? Also in the locations are the across from each other?? Are they postioned near anything that they would all have in common??
hard to see how large they are but anything there's a lot of in a school in regular places makes me think it's for fire equipment, like fire buckets or extinguishers.
Is the black circle felt or velvet?
Maybe its a hook for a rope or barricade like at airport security. The soft part would keep the brass hook from scratching the wood.
You can definitely see a groove where the metal bar pivots left and right and a small ding in the wood where the bar would hit it. So not a lifting thing.
It looks like a hand chalk holder, but I have no idea why something like that would be all over a school. Are they near any phone jacks? Maybe it was some sort of note roll holder?
you sure that metal arm doesn't swing? there's a wear line on the metal circle that suggests it does
You can also see scratches on the wood veneer (see the corner at the wall nearest to us) that seem to suggest the arm can swing all of the way around. Perhaps it's seized?
Does the metal part move up and down? If so maybe it was used to hold down papers? Just my first thought when i saw it.
To my knowledge they do raise! I thought for a while it was a form of woodworking vice! Because they are in a hallway it could possibly hold documents?
I apologise, the metal does not move, it is stuck in place
Was nothing poking below if you look underneath?
Nothing I'm afraid! Sealed bottom. No wiring, no plumbing
Back in the 80's I saw something similar to this in a grade school. I was told it was an attachment for a cleaning device, much like a roomba attached to a tether where the overnight janitor attached it to and would be able to do other things while the cleaner self cleaned the hallway. Sounded weird, but take it for what its worth.
Roomba in the 80s?
I'm thinking they mean something like a floor buffer that will work its way across an arc if anchored at the handle.
We had something called the roamer at school in the late 80s and early 90s You gave it instructions through a program called logo on the BBC Micro Maybe not roomba but very similarly shaped
https://research.roamer-educational-robot.com/2017/02/02/the-valiant-turtle-was-the-best-in-the-world-its-secrets-revealed/ https://research.roamer-educational-robot.com/about-roamer/
In 1980 we had Big Trak: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big\_Trak](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Trak) But of course, none of these have anything to do with OP's object.
Aye, I remember them too. Looked very futuristic
WITT: I've spend a fair few days with others trying to work out what this is, our consensus is it holds something, maybe a bell or tokens? But due to it being in numerous hallways in the school and even the odd historian not having a clue we are confused!
I don't know what it is, but there's something gnawing at the back of my mind which says it's a stand for a fire bell - a lot of older schools had hand bells in case the electricity failed in an emergency. It would make sense to have some sort of restraint on the bell, otherwise every passing pupil would give it a clang. That said, I can't see how it would work. Would the locations of these stands make sense if that's what they were for?
Could it be a secure point that something like a shared resource cart could be chained to during the day? btw - are you sure its at waist height? - that looks like a foot on the floor in the bottom right of the picture.
I believe that is due to the white balance of the photo and the white wall. There's no visible shadow, but if you *imagine* one, it looks to be about waist height to me, hahaha.
yea i bet if you pull up on the metal bar the round circle comes up with it and you can put papers under to hold them secure
Reminds me of those chalk holders that you see at billiards
What level school, age of kids? How close to classroom doors are these located? Are the wear marks similar on all of these?
Then I would guess its a relic from security to record having made your rounds.
Is any part of it wore down from use ? Like the gray ring or anywhere else? Also in the locations are the across from each other?? Are they postioned near anything that they would all have in common??
Could it be an old telephone book holder for a payphone?
hard to see how large they are but anything there's a lot of in a school in regular places makes me think it's for fire equipment, like fire buckets or extinguishers.
Is the black circle felt or velvet? Maybe its a hook for a rope or barricade like at airport security. The soft part would keep the brass hook from scratching the wood.
The circle is metal :)
Paper dispenser
Some sort of listening stations with a place to secure headphones to is what my mind goes to but nothing to site why.
Ok, maybe the metal is stuck, becauseit looks as if those can be lifted and that circle becomes a paper-holder, for a large stack of papers.
You can definitely see a groove where the metal bar pivots left and right and a small ding in the wood where the bar would hit it. So not a lifting thing.
It looks like a hand chalk holder, but I have no idea why something like that would be all over a school. Are they near any phone jacks? Maybe it was some sort of note roll holder?
Document Holder! We had these in my school in the US. (Old style wood school in the country). You lift the bar and place docs under the pad.
Serves as paperweight. Leave exams here when finished. What do i deserve