Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 02 April 1904
The Last Gasp.
Valedictory Speeches.
The adjourned final meeting of the Conisborough School Board was held on Tuesday night at the Station-road Board School, when Mr. J. Brocklesby presided. The members present were Messrs. G. H. Hirst (vice-chairman), D. Robinson, A. Dickinson, G. Kilner, and H. Baker.
Mr. Sellers’ Salary.
The Clerk having read the minutes of the previous meeting, which confirmed the advance of salary granted to Mr. Sellers, the headmaster of the Station-road school,
The Chairman asked if it was a correct record.
Mr. Baker: I think it is, except the latter part referring to the pupil teachers. I understand that it was Mr. Sellers who applied for that position for his daughter, and we refused it because she had been plucked.
Mr. Dickinson: That was agreed all round.
Mr. Baker: Yes, you took my advice that she was not qualified.
The Chairman: Does anybody move the confirmation of the minutes?
Mr. Dickinson: I will.
The Chairman: Will anybody second that?
Mr. Robinson (after a pause): Yes, I will. They are correctly enough recorded, but I might have something to say afterwards.
The confirmation of the minutes having been agreed to,
Mr. Baker said: Thinking that the minutes are illegal, that is the reason I don’t vote with you.
Mr. Hirst: I did not vote because I wish it made clear that I was against this increase of salary.
The Chairman: I don’t know whether there is any business arising out of the minutes. There does not appear to be on the agenda. There are, however, a few accounts outstanding, which must be dealt with.
A number of accounts were then read and passed, and the Clerk was instructed to draw a cheque in favour of Mr. Percy Tew, the West Riding accountant, for the balance remaining in the bank to the Board’s credit.
THE CLERK’S EXTRA WORK.
Mr. Allen, the Clerk, having retired,
The Chairman said the next business was to consider the application of the Clerk for extra remuneration on account of the additional work incurred through the West Riding County Council taking over the work of the Board. Other Boards, he understood, had given their clerks extra remuneration for these extra services, and Mr. Allen thought he was entitled to something for the extra work he had been called upon to do, but left the amount entirely in the hands of the Board.
Mr. Baker rose with very great pleasure to propose that Mr. Allen be allowed a sum of £15 for the extra work he had had to do. He moved this on the ground that he had at all times been very obliging to the Board. The only request he had was that this Board was closing—that this was its dying day—was in losing the services of Mr. Allen. If ever there was a gentleman who had served a Board or any other public body faithfully, it was Mr. Allen, and if ever the old Parish Council was made into an Urban Power, he was the likeliest gentleman for the office of clerk. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Robinson seconded the proposal. He scarcely thought the amount was adequate. He believed that the Balby and Hexthorpe Boards gave their clerk £25, but he would not move an amendment.
Mr. Hirst: I think before we give a sum like that we should have some information what the extra duties have been.
Mr. Baker: We all know but you. We have had his letter read, but the Chairman has not got the letter here now, unfortunately.
Mr. Hirst: It seems an unfortunate thing for me I was not here at the last meeting.
The Chairman: Mr. Allen has submitted evidence here of the work he has had to do. The amount proposed is for additional services he has already rendered, and for service he will have to perform after the Board has ceased to exist.
Mr. Hirst, after examining some tabulated statements handed to him by the Chairman, representing statistics which the Clerk had been required to get out, expressed his pleasure in supporting the proposal.
Mr. Dickinson said he supported it also. Mr. Allen had not been a man whose only idea was to get all the money he could out of the Board. He had not been continually applying for increases. (Hear, hear.)
The Chairman: There is no doubt Mr. Allen has been a very capable and efficient servant. (Hear, hear.)
The resolution having been carried unanimously, Mr. Allen was re-called to the room. Addressing him, the Chairman said: Mr. Allen, the Board have considered your application. They appreciate very much the work you have done, and they have decided to give you £15 for the extra work which the change of authorities has occasioned.
The Clerk: I am much obliged to the Board. Having regard to the fact that my salary as Clerk is not a large one, and I have had a great deal of work to do outside my ordinary duties, I thought it was only fair to myself to ask you for some extra remuneration. I am very sorry that my appointment is terminating in this way, but I feel I can congratulate the Board upon the work they are leaving behind them. I think in the very near future Conisborough schools will be second to none in the West Riding. (Hear, hear.)
VOTE.
The Clerk reported that he had been in communication with the Clerk to the Education Committee of the West Riding County Council, and the arrangements were complete for that body taking over the work and establishment of the School Board in Conisborough.
The Chairman said that meant they had arrived at the close of their career, and when they arrived at the close of existence they generally did so pathetically. It suggested to one sad thoughts. But in their case, although they were an authority coming to an end, he trusted that no individual would say evil of them afterwards. The oldest member of the Board was Mr. Robinson, and he could not be regarded as an old man yet. (Hear, hear.) He trusted they would all be spared for a long time to come, and if they were not engaged in educational matters they might still be active in other matters connected with the welfare of Conisborough. (Hear, hear.) He thought they would be missed as an authority. He was not going to indulge in any remarks as to the character they had acquired, but the work they had done deserved that he should speak of it. (Hear, hear.) The work they had done had been thoroughly done, and they were handing over to the new authority schools which, from every point of view, would be difficult to beat. (Hear, hear.) The present Board had had the responsibility of erecting the schools in which they were met. They had been erected at a very reasonable cost, the amount, including the marching halls, which had been an afterthought, being well within the amount allowed for schools of the class by the Education Department. There was a time when he thought marching halls were a luxury, but he had seen the operations in that hall, and he thought what it had cost was very well-spent money. (Hear, hear.) He was satisfied that the work they had done had been efficient, and he was certain that no money had been spent which they were not compelled to spend. He would not go so far as to declare that they had always done it in the best possible fashion. He was afraid they had sometimes earned a name which was not exactly what they would desire, but he was pleased to know this, that however widely they might have differed there had been no bad blood. They had been able to meet afterwards, and meet friendly, and he thought that fact ought to be very well known generally. Personally, he wished to express his thanks to the members of the Board for the assistance they had rendered to him in his position. He had always thought it his duty as chairman to get the business through, and they had always accomplished that. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. David Robinson, as the senior member of the Board, said he might say he was sorry they were breaking up, and yet he was not sorry, because he had every confidence that the new Act would work well, although it might not be quite so good for the reporters not to have so many meetings. (Laughter.) When he came on the Board six years ago, it was to see those schools built in Station-road. He had accomplished his object, and he was very glad of it. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. G. H. Hirst could not say he was sorry the Board had terminated. If it had not come to an end there would have had to be another man appointed in his place. He was glad the Board had terminated without any falling out.
Mr. Dickinson said he was also obliged to say that if the Board had not terminated he would have been obliged to terminate his membership of it. Of course there had been little bits of hitches, but he himself was like a storm in a tea-pot; if ever he said anything hasty he was sorry for it the next moment. (Hear, hear.) If Mr. Baker had kept off personal remarks there would no doubt have been a great deal less said, but he was willing to realise that Mr. Baker had said a good deal because he couldn’t help it. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. Baker remarked that all he had to say was that the Board was terminating, and he thought it was for the best of the country that it should. Unfortunately things had not gone on in such a way as they should, but he agreed with the Chairman that when there had been heated blood things had terminated peacefully. After many of their meetings the chairman and himself had generally walked home together. If there was one round the table he could do any good he should be pleased to do so. He agreed with Mr. Robinson in thinking that it was for the good of the country that School Boards were closing. It would be some time before it could be shown, but when it did get into proper working order he was quite sure it would be better for the teachers, and the scholars generally. With regard to the rates, he felt sure that farmers would be the greatest victims of this new Act. That, unfortunately, would come very hard upon them. He did not think he could say any more, but he sincerely hoped whenever they met again they would have a proper spirit of friendship.
The Clerk proceeded to write the minutes of the final meeting of the Board in order that they might be confirmed.
When they were ready for confirmation, Mr. Hirst said seeing they were all parting good friends, he would move that they congratulated Mr. Baker on being at the head of the poll for the Rural Council.
Mr. Robinson seconded.
The Chairman said he could not accept the motion. It had nothing to do with the business of the Board, and was not a matter to be entered upon the minutes of the Board. If they passed such a resolution they might as well accord him a vote of condolence. (Laughter.)
Mr. Baker, moving the confirmation of the final minutes of the Board, said he thanked Mr. Hirst and Mr. Robinson for their kind feeling. It would be the height of his ambition when he went among the better body of the district to do all that he could for Conisboro’. He was not surprised at all at the result, because for the last fortnight the cheery faces he had seen had persuaded him he was going to be elected. So confident was he that just before the poll commenced to be counted he offered to bet Mr. Whitfield a sovereign that he would come out first. He was sorry to say Mr. Whitfield would not take the bet.
The Chairman: Is it your pleasure the minutes be confirmed?
Mr. Robinson: I second the confirmation.
This was carried, and the meeting terminated.