The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1879-06-10 00:00:00

DL 4NDPORD.

THE SCHOOL ACCOMMODATION QULSTION.
On Thursday morning • public m-siting of the rate-
payers and others interested in the education of children
of the town was held In the Town Hall, the special object,
an announced by placards. being "to consider the best
means of carrying on the present schools so as to avoid
the necessity of having Board Schools, which will
entail • very heavy expense on the ratepayer." It will
he within the knowledge of many of our readers that the
parochial schools of Bradford formerly consisted of the
Hoye' National School. the Girls' and Infanta' National
Schnee, and the Britlah Schools for boys and girls, which
were all supported on the voluntary principle, aided by
Government grants and the pence paid by the parents of
the children. Rather more than • year ago the British
School bui Min./ were burnt down, and from that time there
has not been sufficient school accommodation fer the
children. The attention of the FA ucational Department ris
called to this, node notice issued that to meet the necessary
requirementa of the perish, extra school accommodation
must be provided for 107 children. The question then
arose how this was to be met, and •he leadiog mem' ers
af the Established Church and of the Nonconformists
held a private conference, the result of which In. that •
proposition should be laid before the ratepayer that if
they would arse to • voluntary rate, the National School
buildings, which are vested in the Rector of 'Handfeed
for the time being, and trustees, rould be made available
for wheels by the addition of another wing; to the Boys'
School. estimate' to cost Crlo, to be raised by shame of
E 5 each. It was also suggested that the schools should
he under the management of a joint committee,
consisting of two-thirds Churchmen and one-third
Nonconformist. The so-called religious difficulty warn
met by the representatives of the Church party agreeing
to give up the teaching of the Church catechism and other
denominational tenets i but it was the unanimous
opinion and wish of all present that the education
given should be based on Scriptural truths, and the
Bible be read in the school. There was • large
ettendanoe, among those present berg Viscount
Portman, the Rest. Canon Farquharson C. Fries-
Clinton. R. C. Twyne, D. Gray, and J. Leach Icemen J. J.
Farquharson, F. T Johns, C. Pond, It. Lnci. R. Ryer;
H W. Abbott, .1. d. Hobbs, id Hicks W. IL Chanson, J.
, Stewart, 0. C. Richard., and 1. Back way. On the
proposition of Lord Portman, seconded by the Rector. the
Mayor(Mr. C. Pondb was voted to re chair. —The Chairman
said the ratepayers were called upon to consider a very
important question, which could not be shelved or put off,
and whether they liked it or not, which must he settled.
I lie trusted the subject would be fully dreamed no that
I afterwards no dissatisfaction would be evinced. They.
! as ratepayers, had the power in their hands of taking one
of two courses ; and a• Englishmen were general': vet y
sensitive upon the Ruiner' of pounds, shillings and penm
he specially wished that as much light as possible should
be thrown on the two courses open to be dopted with
reference to the future of the parochial school. A
preliminary meeting bad been held, so ti.at something
&finite might be placed before them hut the suggestions
were not lending, and the meeting could adopt the
resolutions to be submitted, or reject them. —Mr. Johns
then reed • series of resolutioin adopted at the
preliminary meeting, the principal powa of which
were first to raise by way of shares IMOD towards
providing school accommodation for children; and
tnd, that the schools should be supported by •
voluntary rate, and worked by a joint committee.
Toward. the building, sham to the amount of .0135
had been taken. —Lord Portman, who mid he had taken
considerable interest in the question, then pre statistics
aa to the coat of Board Schools, as compared with school,
bawd on the voluntary principle, strongly advising—as the
expenses of the former schools had increased to • great
extent during the pest few years—that a Board school
should be avoided. Ile then showed, by Parliamentary
returns, that • steady annual increasing charge had taken
place, both as to National and British schools. The first
year the rate wax ffiss. per child in the National schools,
and in ICS, It lid; and rather • higher increase in the
British schools. The Board schools began at Itta , and in
VCR there were 41s. lid ; and, takings'' things into account,
he estimated that a Brad shoot woeld cost is. per head
more than any other scheme in operation. The cost of a
building for a Board school would be at the rate of £lO
per head per child, whilst for the addition proposed to be
suede to the National School. only about MOO would be
required. Ile considered that if the ratepayers took this
Into consideration, and agreed not to have • Board wheel,
bat to support their schools on the voluntary principle, it
wnuld have great Induce,' on all around, a. showing
what a united parish could do. He estimated it would
require a 10d rate to keep up the Board schools, and for
the erection of new buildings an additional I. led ,
making altogether ala eL rate. His Lordship added
that 15 gentlemen hal expressed their willing-
ness to act as a joint c ..... mittee, to carry out
the plan. and he strongly urged its adopiion.—Dr
Bacot proposed that the scheme to which Lord Portman
ha i referred be adopted. —This was seconded by Mr.
Park. —Mr. Flackway enquired upon what basis the school
was to he worked, and in reply, Mr. Clinton rid that
practice ly the echoer would he on the nonsoctarisin
principle: only the reading of the Bible would be per-
! i tall and neither hired( an ( nor other minister would
'havei power to interfe . —Mr. Hicks said he considered
the statistics given by rLord Portman, which were taken
! a. an avenge of all School Boards, were too high, and
' express& his belief that • Board School could be 'main-
tained at • oast of about fid. in the A and the school
buildinffi erected for about 3d. in the Z more.—After some
further discussion, the Chairman put • resolution to the
meeting to the effect that, subject to the result of •
rawly's of The town, the resolution in favour of maintain-
ing the school by e Ireton gate
.bo adopted. Thla wee
canted by atclamation, too birti—s-rlit WU agreed
that the town should lie to • cta, and can-
%
eared, and the result surni • future meeting.—
Thanks were voted to Lord Portman for his kindness, aid
to the Mayor for presiding.