Brazier

A metal box that used to hold burning embers and provide heat. Braziers were usually placed between students' feet. The lid and sides were perforated to allow for combustion and to release heat. This heating system was basic yet effective and was used to keep school children warm up until the 1950s, as they were often deprived of having any other way to heat the classroom. Even the schools that did have wood-fueled central heating systems found they were inefficient, so individual braziers were still needed.