Mexborough and Swinton Times, June 28.
Conisborough School Board.
The New Schools.
Overcrowding at the Denaby Schools.
103 Children Excluded
The Government Reports – Highly Satisfactory.
Several important matters were brought forward at a special meeting of the Conisborough School Board, which was held on Wednesday evening.
The question of the new schools was again brought forward, and it was decided to have two doors placed in the rear of them. By far the most important item, and which the meeting was mainly call for, was the recent action of the managers of the Denaby schools or the Education Department.
The managers of the schools have received a notice that they were overcrowded, and that they had to exclude some of the scholars. This they had done, but not all at one end of the town; the applicant them out here and there according to what the attendance officer, said, and most of them are irregular attenders.
It will be a hard thing for the Conisborough Board if they are obliged to take those children, but as things are, at present they cannot take them, as they are full up.
If they have to take the dunces the cannot have such a good percentage as they have had. The Government reports were to hand and proved to be highly satisfactory.
Mr W.W.Norwood presided, and the other members present were Messrs T.R. Booth, J. Gillott, J Brocklesby, R Marsh, E Ravenscroft and D. Robinson; with Mr F. Allen (clerk) and Mr Sargentson (attendance officer)
The New School’s.
The Chairman said that no doubt they would want to know why that special meeting was called.
It was because the Board for one reason really special the new schools, and the members with this thought that a little more alteration was necessary, but the time he (the chairman) gave the clerk, notice of motion that he would move at the next meeting that two entrances be made at the rear of the school – that everybody who went agreed to.
There was also another important matter which had to be brought up at that meeting, and that was in connection with the Denaby schools. The managers of that school had received a notice to the effect that their school was overcrowded, and that they had 160 scholars in too many. They had sent the board notice through the attendance officer the facts.
He then moved that the two entrances be made at the rear of the new schools. The members of the board attended the schools and made an inspection, and found, to their surprise that an opening at the back of the schools, which they thought was a door, was a window. That was a fortnight ago. They had everything going on satisfactory and the building was making good progress and the schools look like being finished shortly. The rear was a playground for the infants, and has at present they will come out at the front and go up and down the steps, whereas if they went out at the back they will be practically on a level with the playground.
Mr Wortley, the contractor said that two entrances could easily be made out of each cloakroom. It would save running up and down the steps. Without going round they could first step out into the playground. It would be a great convenience for the little children, and he moved that it be done. He might say that the contractor told them that they would cost at the most four pounds each, so that they need have no fear in regard to expense.
Mr Booth said that he fully endorsed what the Chairman at said; he was there with the other members at the inspection of the schools, and he thought that everything was going on in a very satisfactory manner. He was very much struck to find that there was not an outlet at the back. If they made the two entrances, it would be a great convenience both to the children and all concerned. He seconded the proposition.
Mr Gillott said he had very much pleasure in supporting it.
The Clerk asked about the furnishing of the schools – would the contactor have anything to do with it?
Mr booth: Leave that to the new Board; we are plenty on without that.(Laughter)
The Chairman: The new Board will not meet until August, and the schools will be ready for September.
The Clerk: The schools are made to accommodate 280 infants.
Mr Booth: It will be full all at once.
Mr Marsh said it would be better if they could have a first standard there.
The Chairman’s proposition was carried, and it was resolved that the Clerk make enquiries as to the furnishing.
Attendance Reports.
The Attendance Officer stated that the blind lads mother (Mrs Coggan) had told him that she had been once to the meeting (the Guardians), and they took no notice of her, and she was not going again. However, he persuaded her to go again, and she had attended a meeting but they had not given her a decided answer.
Overcrowding at Denaby.
The Denaby School Hall excluded 103 children up to the present, and it embraced all the district.
The Chairman then read out 15 boys names and addresses were applied at the Conisbrough school for admission. They were full at their schools.
Mr Robinson: They are all irregular attenders who have been excluded.
Mr Sargentson: You cannot take 20 out of the 103 that have not been before the Board.
The Chairman: We have not room in our schools for them, so that is an end of it. We find that we are already overstocked in our own schools, and we cannot possibly take these aims. It is impossible for us to make provision for them until the new schools are open.
Mr Ravenscroft: it is impossible.
Mr Booth: Have they admitted any more?
Mr Sargentson: they have a few; I could not say how many.
Mr Booth: If they have admitted another 103, which they excluded the others to make room for them, he considered that it was a most unfair arrangement, of excluding undesirable children.
Mr Brocklesby: I think we cannot do better than state the text of the case to the Education Department.
Mr Marsh: And ask them if they could have a Standard 1 in the new schools.
The chairman said they only wanted permission to teach standard 1 in the school. It didn’t not matter in what part of the school they taught them.
Government Report.
The following is the Government Report on the Conisbrough school:
Boys School.
The tone and order are excellent. The work is well-planned other teachers work hard; the boys are integrated, and all subjects are taught with care and intelligence. The lessons on Common Objects are remarkably well given.
Girls School.
The girls are under excellent discipline. Both teachers and scholars show great interest in their work, and the result in every subject attempted are highly commendable.
Infants School.
Order is excellent, and the children are well taught. The handwriting might receive increased attention. The babes were questioned by their teachers. The lighting has been improved, but the school being partially enclosed is not so cheerful as it would otherwise be.
The clerk said that the highest possible grants have been obtained. They were £691 1s and the fee grant final instalment, £96 17s 6d. The average attendance for the year of 673. Mr J.W.Ellis, Elsie booth and Mr Marsh had passed their examination.
Mr Marsh: I congratulate you Mr Clerk on obtaining the grants so early.
The Chairman: we are not been able to get them until August or September. Previously. It is a highly satisfactory report. He thought that they had a very good staff of teachers at present, and everybody who went into the school sport in the highest praise of the way in which the work was done. All the teaching staff worked amicably together.