Mexborough and Swinton Times May 16, 1925
Head Teacher Assaulted
“Scene” before Conisborough Children
A head teacher of the Morley place school, Conisborough, summoned Mabel Cotson, wife of a Conisborough miner, at Doncaster on Tuesday, for assault, and the West Riding Education Department summoned her for a breach of the County bylaws by refusing to leave school premises on request.
Mr Byers, of the County solicitor’s office, and Mr Frank Allen, of Doncaster, prosecuted, and the defendant admitted both offences.
Miss Alison Blackburn, the head teacher of the girls department at the Morley place school, said that on April 28 Mrs. Cotson had visited the school and asked for her. Immediately witness went to see Mrs Cotson,the latter made use of string of abusive language, and then assaulted her.
Witness sent for the police, and Mrs Cotson assaulted her again. The whole scene took place before a class of children, for, as it was a wet day, Mrs Cotson had been invited to step inside the school, there being no porch. Witness had had occasion to speak to Mrs Cotson’s child about her persistently late arrivals at school, and had previously sent for Miss Cotson and spoken to her about the unclean state of the child.
Miss Appleyard, as assistant teacher in the department, gave evidence of the assault, which she witnessed.
Mrs Cotson said that Ms Blackburn had been constantly picking at her child, telling her she was unclean. This Miss Blackburn denied, stating that only complaint she had made had been made to the mother herself.
The chairman (Dr Dunne) said that was an offence of which they had to take a serious view. Such things would mean an end to all discipline in the schools, if allowed to go on. They would bind defendant over for 12 months for the assault and she must find a surety within a week for the breach of the bylaws. She would be fined 15 shillings. They would not fine her more because she had a large family, and a heavier fine would mean that the children would have to go without something they ought to have.
The magistrates hoped that would be a lesson to those who thought to take the law into hands.