Mexborough and Swinton Times October 15, 1926

New School
Red Letter Day For Denaby Roman Catholics
Opening Ceremony
Canon Russell On Catholic Rights
The Coal Dispute: Sad Comment of Colliery Chief

the opening of the Denaby Main Roman Catholic Schools on Tuesday crowned the educational work of the Very Reverent Canon C Leteux in this parish, and although the event actually but signifies the beginning of the task before the people of St Albans, the way has now been cleared for study and earnest progress.

The ceremony must preceded by a short service in church, owing to heavy rain a procession from the church to the schools had to be abandoned.

The doors were open my Canon Russell with a beautiful gold key given by the architects (Messrs Empsall, Clarkson and Clark of Bradford) and inscribed “St Albans schools, Denaby Main, October 12, 1926. The door having been opened, the clergy entered, ended by Canon Leteux and Cannon Russell, of Keighley, the latter blessing the building.

A Disappointment

Rev Canon Leteux refer to the disappointment of not having with them the Bishop of Leeds, who had been taken ill, and said they would send to him there very best wishes, for they have all regretted he was not present to represent the very cardinal principle of the Roman Catholic Schools, namely, authority. He was glad there was such a splendidly represented gathering for this great occasion.

A Complete Parish

Canon Russell said his first duty was to congratulate the people of Denaby Main on the possession of those truly magnificent schools. They were a great credit to the parishioners, who had every reason to be proud of them. Is next due to, surely, was to congratulate them on their priest – (here, here) – choose energy, determination and courage they owed these schools. Whatever Canon Leteux took in hand he carried out thoroughly; “thorough” was his motto, and they had in the school’s a splendid example of his methods and his energy.

You must also congratulate them that at last the parish was complete. Any parish without its dear schools could not be said to be fully equipped. The school was the nursery of the parish; it was its hope, its source of life, as well as being the joy and consolation of its priest. It was a training ground, not merely for material science, but for spiritual science, and just as definite teaching in its history, geography and arithmetic ought to be given within its walls, so also ought definite teaching on religion, on God, and on the end and purpose of life and the duty of man towards his fellow man be given. An indefinite religion was an abortion.

Roman Catholic’s Right

the Catholic Church had always wished that side-by-side was secular education they should have the education of mind and heart towards God, so that the spiritual and material man was developed. To ignore God and His revelation was the surest way to produce 80s and all disturbance of society; hence indefinite religious teaching may not only a good Christian but also made good and self-sacrificing members of the community. This was the rock bottom principle of the Catholic Church, which had been the greatest pioneer in education, and had 20 centuries of work behind her. Her interest in education did not begin in 1870. (Here, here) the record was the record of the old universities and schools of the world, and of all the learned men of the past.

A great statesman, Mr W.E.Gladstone said that since the first 300 years of persecution the Roma Catholic Church had March for 1500 years at the head of human civilisation. “Whilst we claim a right to teach our own children (in our own schools by our own teachers) there religious and secular knowledge,” said Canon Russell, “we do not deny to others the selfsame right or privilege. On the contrary we pay our rates towards the provision of council schools, drawers and equipment, so that our neighbour’s children may have that instruction in secular and religious subjects which suits their consciences. They have every right to it, we do not deny, but we claim the same right for ourselves. (Here, here) and we shall have that right – (here, here) that and that right we shall fight for even to the last drop of our blood. (Applause)

Canon Russell then went on lecture on the West Riding and the opposition of the council to Roman Catholic claims and pay a tribute to Canon Leteux.

Maj Lesley and the Coal Dispute

in calling upon major JH Lesley, Canon Leteux said there should be between him and the workers the closest bond, for nothing but success could come out of cooperation.

Major Lesley said the schools formed a wonderful building, and great credit was due to the architects and contractors. They all want to the children of Denaby Main brought up in the best surroundings. He fully realise what the education of children in those villages meant to the future of England’s trade and prosperity, which were bound up in each other.

Canon’s Russell, admirable address, had dealt with cooperation. It was no good denying that this was a terrible time for everybody. They will get over it somehow, but what they had to consider was what they were going to do in the future. It was no good going on as they were doing at present, because it will get them nowhere. They must have a better spirit in the industry.

Since he had been at Denaby he had tried his best to meet the men. The Company had given them better houses and tried to improve the old ones, but they must have a better understanding in the future. “The thing as got very cumbersome,” said Major Lesley, referring to the dispute. “It has got too big and out-of-control altogether. There is such a glorious mess that nobody knows how to get out of it.” He was not blaming anybody. When they had two sides old and different opinion, the question got so large that nobody knew what to say for either side, but they had got to come to earth sometime and discuss things in a better spirit.

A great deal could be done in schools by fostering the right spirit. The question was whether you was to be considered there hereditary enemy or not. They read what awful ogres capitalists were supposed to be, but what was not generally realised was that they were who were managing businesses were really holding the balance. It was just as grievous to them that men were not able to earn adequate living as it was that capital would not give a return to the people who had invested it. So long as we had this system in the world – and it was the same the world over, with the exception of Russia this (laughter) – they would have to face it. Capital and labour are absolutely bound up in each other. It was no good people fighting and saying, “On no account will we ever make peace,” because it would not carry them anywhere. He could not see any alternative to coming down to grips with the matter and having a better understanding, and a great deal could be done through the education of children, whatever sect or denomination the children belong to. He would like to wish them all success with their school, I would like to see a speedy termination to the terrible time they were going through. “Applause”

Before Denaby Knew Religion

After Mr Tom Williams, M.P., and added his congratulations, Mr WH Chambers, who was received with applause, said that ceremony can use my back over a long period of years to the time when he first came to Denbigh Main. Two things then required his greatest energy; the improvement of working conditions and the social welfare of the people. There were only five people in all Denaby went to a place of worship of any kind, and there was only one place of recreation – the Reresby Arms. (Laughter.) One of the most important parts of the structure of social welfare was establishment of schools. He heartily congratulated them on their achievement in having obtained a school through Canon Letaux’s energy.

It was a lucky day that father Letaux came to Denbigh, and he hoped Canon Letaux would live long to leave them in the way in which he had done so far, and that he would live to see the effect of his work. In this age of intolerance it was very gratifying to find such an attitude was passing away; that was signified by the fact that they had got their school. You wish them every success (applause)

After further speeches from Mr Staples, headmaster of the Roman Terrace Boys School and thanks from Canon Letaux, Canon Letaux ended proceedings by saying that the County Council, and all other bodies opposed to religious education, must realise that the Roman Catholics were a living force in their midst, which must be reckoned with and allowed for. Canon Letaux concluded by thanking his parishioners for their loyalty and self-sacrifice, their friends of the other clergy from all over the district, and their very good friends outside the Catholic communion, for the help and encouragement they had received while they were carrying through this great undertaking.