Conisborough School Board – Lively Proceedings

April 1896

Mexborough & Swinton Times, April 10, 1896

Conisborough School Board.
Lively Proceedings.

The monthly meeting of this Board was held on Thursday evening. 2nd inst. Where there were present Mr. Dufton (in the chair), also Messrs. Pagdin, Tennant, Marsh, Stacey, and Walker

A special meeting of the Board was held on March 19th when Mr. George White, of Mexborough, received instructions to prepare a plan for a new infants’ school to accommodate 500. It was expected that the plan would be ready shortly, and the Clerk was instructed to call a special meeting to consider same.

The Chairman reported that a deputation had waited upon Lord Yarborough’s agent, and found that his lordship was willing to grant the Board whatever land they might require at a fair price.

Mr. Marsh: Did Mr. White express the opinion that the suggested alternation in the present schools would be satisfactory for boys and girls?

Mr. Pagdin: I think Mr. White will make such plans as the Education Department will approve as he knows our requirements well.

Mr. Marsh: That will do then. – The average attendance for the past month was as follows: – Conisborough: Boys, 86 per cent; girls 86, per cent; infants, 78 per cent. – Denaby: Mixed, 86 per cent; infants, 80 per cent.

At this point Messrs. Walker and Stacey showed signs of anxiousness to be off, the former asking the Chairman if the business was over, and receiving a qualified answer in the affirmative, namely. ‘Yes, so far as the agenda goes.’

Messrs. Walker and Stacey rose to leave. This seemed to arouse the Chairman’s metal, and he got up too, and could not be prevailed on to resume his seat, but followed Mr. Walker from the room.

Mr. Stacey remarking behind. Fearful lest the other members should run away from their duty, Mr. Pagdin jumped up, locked the door, and put the key in his pocket.

Mr. Marsh said they could not proceed with business as they had not a chairman, and the circumstances throughout only showed the importance of having the business on the agenda. They had asked the Clerk for month to do this, but he had not done so.

Not one of the trio or quartette could have thought much about the business for which they had met or they would have found business to leave them some time, as the minutes had not been dealt with.

The Attendance Office had also a list of irregular attendance cases to be dealt with, he also required a cheque which could not be made without the Chairman signature. There was as application from one of the teachers for for an increase in salary which has been tossing about for the past two or three month also required setting besides sundry other subjects.