four o'clock
The pupils had to bring handkerchiefs to the Dovecot , which led to its being called the Hanky School , and in time these handkerchiefs may be said to have assumed a religious character , though their purpose was merely to protect Miss Ailie 's carpet . She opened each scholastic day by reading fifteen verses from the Bible , and then she said sternly , `` Hankies ! '' whereupon her pupils whipped out their handkerchiefs , spread them on the floor and kneeled on them while Miss Ailie repeated the Lord 's Prayer . School closed at four o'clock , again with hankies . Only on great occasions were the boys and girls admitted to the blue-and-white room , when they were given shortbread , but had to eat it with their heads flung back so that no crumbs should fall . Nearly everything in this room was blue or white , or both . There were white blinds and blue curtains , a blue table-cover and a white crumb-cloth , a white sheepskin with a blue footstool on it , blue chairs dotted with white buttons .