In most countries children walk, sometimes even stride (see Azores), towards school. Dutch children are in a hurry to absorb more knowledge. Or … are they running from school?

We have other signs with running children from Mexico (where both carry a bookbag) and Italy and Sarvisé, Spain (where only the boy holds a bookbag). The detail of the drawing brings the Danish specimen to our mind.

This is also one of those very rare signs where children do not hold hands (another specimen can be seen in Madagascar)

The finds from Zierikzee and Eindhoven prove that time is running out for the good old-fashioned sign. Our lovely characters will soon be replaced by the match-stick monsters. But the Dutch people took at least their own kind of monster. The new drawing is different from other European faceless new designs. And all clothing was removed which is not done in the other countries (I am not sure about Germany).