Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 6 October 1893
Conisborough School Board
The usual monthly meeting of the above Board was held last night, Mr. Dutton in the chair.
There were also present Messrs. Pagdin, Whitfield, and Norwood. Mr. Baxter (attendance officer) and Mr. Harrison (clerk) were also in attendance.
After a discussion upon the question as to whether our representative should be admitted, it was decided to admit him.
Mr. Baxter stated that there was a good attendance at Conisborough Schools, it being 97 per cent. At New Conisborough there were several cases of extremely bad attendance, but the reason given by the parents was that the children were in want of boots, clothes, and food.
The Clerk read a letter from Mr. Smith as follows:
“Gentlemen,—I am glad to report the attendance for the last few weeks has been fairly satisfactory. One or two cases will require, I am afraid, to have strong measures taken, but I have resolved to try them another month. For the past month the average has nearly approached 90 per cent. of the number on the books, want of clothes being the main excuse for absence.
May I call attention to the water supply at the school house. The tank is tainted with sewage matter. I shall be glad if you will have the drains overhauled, as I feel sure there must be a leakage somewhere.
I am sorry the Board did not come to a decision with regard to evening continuation schools last month, as it is too late now to make the number of attendance. In my letter on the subject you will remember that the middle of September was as late as a successful class should be commenced.
Yours obediently,
W. Smith.”
Mr. Whitfield asked why the necessary information regarding the classes had not been furnished to the Board sooner.
Mr. Harrison stated that the subject had been brought before the Board in August, and he had written for necessary forms and had only just received one, and it was considered too late now.
Mr. Whitfield regretted that the information had not been furnished earlier.
Mr. Smith having sent in an application for various stores for the school, Mr. Whitfield moved that some be obtained.
Mr. Pagdin seconded.
Mr. Pagdin called attention to the necessity for attending to the drains, and after the subject was discussed it was decided that Mr. Pagdin attend to the matter and have it put right; but if he considered the matter above his responsibilities, he would call a special meeting of the Board.
The Schoolmaster, having complained of the chimneys smoking, resolved that Mr. Pagdin have this put right also.
The question of the caretaker’s remuneration having been considered, and viewing the fact that she had many fires to light and her work generally increased, it was resolved, in view of her application for assistance, that her remuneration be increased from 8s. to 10s. per week, and she herself to obtain and pay for any assistance she might require.
Commenting upon recent articles in the Mexborough and Swinton Times, Mr. Whitfield remarked that the Conisborough Board had been referred to as “not being models of educational excellence,” but that was a position to which they as a Board laid no claim.
He considered it was unfair for the smallest salaries to be quoted as being the average. They paid the teachers of the Conisborough School Board the current rates for the time being, and the Conisborough teachers were quite competent for Conisborough.
It was further stated that “it is high time we removed the abuses of this Board.” He did not know that there were any abuses existing, and he would look to the editor of the Times to point them out, and if they did exist the Board would try to remove them. (Hear, hear.)