Mexborough and Swinton Times Saturday 17 September, 1921
Round About Conisboro’ – Race Traffic and Children
Doncaster Race traffic on our local roads was not quite as heavy as usual, the reason probably being that motor cars do not mind running a few miles out of their way if by so doing, a crowd is avoided. Many vehicles took the road through Maltby and Tickhill from Sheffield with a consequent easing of the traffic through Conisboro’.
From what I hear, Polemarch was not without its supporters in Conisboro’, and if rumour is to be in the, one gentleman scored very heavily by the victory of this horse.
The local works, generally speaking, ceased as Tuesday evening for the rest of the week and most at our local people found their way to Doncaster on one at least of the race days. For many years our local schools included race week in the summer holiday, and it was only after wriggling the pros and, cons most carefully that the decision to, keep the schools open was arrived at.
Some of the teachers at the time did not agree with the change, but the Committee felt that there was a real danger in allowing the children to frequent the crowded high road and the change was made.
Whatever danger there was then it is much greater now, far the rapidly moving motor has largely replaced the slower horse and the way children skip in and out of the returning traffic to seize pennies or butterscotch is enough to make one shiver.
A gentleman remarked to me that he had to come away from watching the traffic for the sight of the risks run by children among the vehicles made him feel ill. He went on to remark that parents were complaining that the schools were open, but for his part he was thankful they were. The parents who complain were probably those wanted the children to mind the house and often the baby, while the grown-ups had a day at the races. There was a time when the school attendance during race week was the best in the year, but now it is amongst the worst.