Mexborough & Swinton Times April 17, 1936

Reorganisation Of Conisborough Schools
To Take Effect in August

The additions to Conisborough selective senior school are expected to be completed by May 31, and it has been decided that the re organisation of the schools of the district shall take effect when the schools reopen on August 24.

This was announced at last week’s meeting of the Conisborough Education Subcommittee, over which Mr H. Gomersall presided on Thursday.

Reading a letter from the County authority, Mr E. B. Stockdale (Clerk) said the County education committee had had under consideration the question of staffing conditions at the school. And it would be noted that in some cases the allocations were not strictly in accordance with the normal standard of staffing, and that in other cases teachers were to be employed temporarily, additional to requirements. These adjustments were necessary in order to absorb existing teachers, and adjustments would be made when vacancies occurred.

It had been decided to offer Miss Blackburn, headmistress of the present girls department of Morley place school, a position on the temporary supply staff for a period of 12 months in the first instance, and in order to afford her an opportunity of obtaining another post. Although definite information was not yet available it was understood that the managers of the Denaby Church of England were in agreement with the scheme, and this school would, accordingly become a junior mixed and infants school. The managers of St Alban’s Roman Catholic school had expressed a desire to retain senior children in their own school. Two new posts were to be created, that of instructor in wood work and metalwork for senior boys, and also that of mistress for domestic subjects for girls.

Road Safety.

The Clerk read a letter from the County Education Authority, referring to the subcommittee’s letter in reference to children and road safety. It stated that the whole question of cooperation between the National Safety First Association and the local education authority had been carefully investigated. The county authority were of opinion that the steps they were taking in pedestrian crossings, danger signs, controlled crossings, police supervision, and definite instruction on safety first principles covered the whole field in which they could reasonably be expected to assist. There were only 17 accidents, one fatal, by school entrances, and 75 accidents, four fatal, white children were on their way home, throughout the whole of the vast area under the supervision of the West Riding last year.

The reverent view. J. T. Pascoe said that Conisborough did not have the crossings or the police supervision. Parents in Station Road were terrified, and the mothers were prepared to organise a petition among themselves. Where the children were coming out of the Station Road school there was no barrier.

Mrs Wright said that if all the gates were open it would relieve the situation.

“Health Survey.”

The Clerk read a letter from the County Medical Officer, in reply to a communication from the Conisborough committee, in which they had rejected a nutrition survey from the County, and suggested a health survey of the whole family instead of a survey of the schoolchildren only. The County medical officer’s reply was that in connection with an nutrition survey the ascertainment was based solely on medical physical grounds.

Mr H. Gomersall said that it was very debatable, and always would be. He contended that a child not receiving the sustenance it ought to have was suffering from malnutrition.

Father Holohan said that there would be no satisfactory solution until a general survey was made.

Mr Gomersall said the subcommittee was satisfied that a survey of the whole family was the right thing.

Mr Pascoe said that the new act provided for an enquiry into the means of parents, but not the way in which they spent their means. That was a vital point.

Father Holohan said the subcommittee’s resolution dealt with people on the dole or on public assistance where children were suffering from under feeding because of underpayment coming into the house.

Mr Gomersall added that they were not satisfied with the report. They knew that parents made sacrifices to meet their children presentable at school.

There was an echo of a recent complaint by the subcommittee that too much school time was lost in the children’s visits to the clinic.

A letter was read by the clip from the County medical authority which stated that considerable pains had been taken to organise the visits of the children. Some children were sometimes kept behind, so that they could go with older children on the road. Between 50 and 70 children were treated at each session. Mothers sometimes met their children, and the doctors were at great pains to explain to them what the children needed.