The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-03-19 00:00:00

'4ocal anb istrirt V,e'oas

STOURBRIDGE SCEIOOL BOARD,

ALLEGED DEXTET FRONI OVER PRESSURE.

A meeting of the St urbridge School Boar was
held on Monday night; the Rev. H. ShelTard

the chair.
The case of an alleged death from overwork of a
scholar who had attended the Enville Street School
came before the Board. Mr. Barrington Ward, her
Majesty's inspector, wrote stating that the Rev. G.
Gilbanks had shown him a medical certificate given
by Dr.,Eagar. with regard to the death of a girl
named Et'jolt, which stated that death was from
meningitis, caused by overwork at school. Ttie
child died on March 3. In January she was ex-
aralned in the third standard, and failed in arith-
metic. It seemed to him a case for investigation
It was the duty of the managers to withdraw from
the examination any child not fit to undergo it.
The Chairmen said he understood the certificate
wa given in connection with a burial club at
Wollaston under the superintendence of Mr Gil-
Banks (the vicar of Wollaston), ad in that way
came under his notice. He thought however, that
Mr. Gilbanks had been travelling a little out of his
sphere to write to Mr. Borriugton Ward about it,
and it struck him that it showed a want of courtesy
to the Beard, (Hear, hear). He teought Mr. Gil-
banks might have written to him (the spc.a%er) or
the clerk, instead of to her Majesty's i! spector. It
seemed to imply that the membeis of the Board
were wanting in humane feelings; hut he did not
think Mr. Gilbanks had any monopoly of such feel-
ings, and he did not like the way an e hiuh the thing
had come to then. • With regard to the medical
certificate, he had a high respect for doctors, but lie
did not hold them to be infallible, and, granting
this child had died from meningitis, be did not see
that it was deducible that it arose from overwork at
sAiool. Overwork would be exces-ive work fer a
child of her age and attainments, cud he said that
there had not been overwork in that sense. He
had satisfied hireselt she had nothing more than the
usual work for ch.ldren of her standard, and there
was nothing exceetional in her lesson. The little
girl, he was inclined to think, wac of feeble and
delicate censtitution, and perh pa of exeitahle brein,
and the mere ordinary school work might have told
upon her as it would not tell upon other children
of the same s andard. The Cuiiirmo.o said be did
not consider The Board o• the teacher te blame, and
had the latter noticei any great difficu:ty on tne
part of the child in masterieg a subject, she would
have been exceptionally lenient with her. He
thought the mother should have informed th_
teacher as to the condi:ion of the child.
Mr. Newnam said teachers had a discretionary
power, aril could point out to the Beard any chill
with an incapacity for work, and the Board could
rr commend the insp-ctor to excuse ,ueh a child on
the day of the eximination. He did not, therefore,
see it would be to the iaterest of the teacher tc Push
on a child unduly.
Dr. Uniernill said he did not like to say any-
thing against the opinion of another medical man;
but in this case it did not appear to be proved teere
was any overwork at all.
In reply to Mr. Worthington, the Chairman said
the child had been having her dinner given her by
a committee working under the superintendence of
the Board.
The clerk was instructed teW ite to her Majest3's
inspector that the Board did not consoler any blame
attached to anyone in regard to the child's death.

ENTRRTAINMENT.—A misce:laneous entertainment
was given ~in the Boys School-room, Hill Street,
on Tuesday evening, to a good audience, by the
Past and Present Scholars. The Rev. H. Sherrard
prt sided. The various Roma were satisfactorily
disposed of, and a very enjoyable evening was spent
Mr. J. H Rowley discharged the onerous duties
appertaining to he office of accompanist iu an
artistic style. The proceeds will devotee to the
object of purchasing a gymnastic up: aratua for the

boys.
INTERESTING TO OWNERS OF CATTLE.—A case—
Hollis v. Parkes—wbich was very interesting to
owners of cattle was heard at the Stourbridge
County Court on Moulay, before Sir Rupert Kettle,
judge. Mr. Waldron was for the pldintitt, and Mr.
Nathan (instructed by Messrs. Stokes and Hooper)
was for the deferidant.—lt was an action to recove I
.£l2 124. Bd. Mr, Waldron said the plaintiff an-I
defendant had adjoining fields at Hales° .en, and it
was trie duty of the defendant to keep the hedge
between the two fields in repair. Plaintiff found
that owing to its defective state sixteen of his lambs
got into defendant's field, and the latter impounded
them. He creitended that a person who impounded
any animals was bound to put them in a proper
way, and that he alleged had not been done in tile
present case. The place in which the lambs were
was only 20 feet square, and below the level of the
roadway. The animals deteriorated in value.
Eleven were returned and five were sold by defend-
ant in Birmiagham market. Plaintiff was
examined, and said he was a bi..tcher and farmer
at Halesowen. On the 16'h July he had some
lambs in his field, and learnt that sixteen of them
had been impounded by defendant. Tnere was no
rack for food in the p.iund. Alter a few days eleven
of the lambs were returned to him. 1 e killed elle
of them, and there was not a partic'e of food inside
It. He put down the loss upon the eleven at a tots].
of .25 2s. Sc]., and the five he valued at 30s. each,
which was what they were worth when put i,ito
the pound. In cross-exanaination he said he
impounded some cows Lelonging to defendant once
in the same place. When he heard the lambs wee
in tre pallid defendant wanted a sovereign before
they were g yen up. He offered him what was
right and fair, hu did nit name any definite sum.—
Mr. Nathan in defence. submitted that the im-
pounding %as a.proper plate to put sixteen butchers'
lambs in, in the month of J taly —Defendant said he
impounded those lambs as he found them feeding,
in his field. They were properly fed whilst in the
rand. On the Monday he took eleven of them
out, and the other five kept on feeding. He charged
for keeping of the lambs at the rate of le. per day
for the five for 27 days. He was entitled by law
to charge double that 'rim. Other expenses in
connection with the iiffieit Le stated exceeded by 4s
Sc]. the amount he had received for the lambs sold.—
The case occupied a vcry long time, and eventually
his Honour resErved his decision, n.m.l said he
would nsider what damages tie vou d give.
COAL STEALER9.......AL the Police Court yeeterday,
before H. 0. Firmstoue, T. D. Thomas, and W. J.
Turney, Esqs., Emily Hart (13). Albert Taylor (14),
Eli Pritchard (n), and Joseph Taylor (.3), all of
the Lye, were charged with stealing a quantiiy of
cal, at Netherend, on the 9th inst, the property of
Nlessis. Joseph King and Co. Hart and AlbEr:
Taylor were fined 55 each, the others were ordered
t) iCCeiVO 6 strokes with the bireh rod.
Duumis —Gearge Bosworth, labourer, Gig Mill,
w cl.arg,. d with eeing drunk and disorderly on
th I"th ins, at the Heath, P.C. Davis proved
th c..se, and defendant was fined 2s Gd and costs.
',meet ti,u hell, nailer, Hay Green, was fined
5s and co t:s for being drunk at Wollastou, on Li,e
lath jest —Alfred Clarke Ni orris, solicitor Kir -
deriniester Street, was SIIMMOIIi'd for being drunk
and disoroerl3, in New Street, on the 14A inst.
P.C. Farley ',aid he saw the defeadant in New
strut t. lie was orunk and nvsking use of beastiy
anzua eHo toll him to go home, and said if he
Jild nit h heual look hint up. Defendant eventu-
iilly went IL me. Mr. King (M. gist; ate's Clerk)
sai I there int.; been no conviction since March,
18S6, bre to, re we,re 12 conviclrons altogether 1112
B na t II cet at tie of lOt and cos at ; ii de fa u c
re s.— Janes Cogz 11, fruiterer, W. 11Astor,
a, eta' e with being d link at Woriastou. lu-
% t I,go prov:t.l the case. Fined ssi xxii Costs
Calluv:han, of New Street, was
ar th 0ei.4.; drunk in Coventry Street, on
a. Ulii at p.c. Farley pr,vait toe case also a
ianuer o pre:ious convicti las. Fined 10s iina
c eta —Edward O'B was charged with being
.trit..k and :As, rderly on the 17th inst. P.S. Hard-
wce prvad the Case. F ned 2s GA aud ers.-ts
Finans.t.LiNu IN TILE STRNET.—Williatu
A rho: Wuarlon, Christopher Smith, and Arihur
dames Clewett, youtbs, of Stourtridge, were charged
with pia4ing football in High street, on the 7th
inst. Fined 2s (3 fraud costs.
()I saliecrlON )I:ancis EnJes, puddler, Lye,
w: sct tved k, I ~/uttsn,: the free r:sFoge 0
• I,i a. ti , ; I e, tlie 12th an
3h i te, by lax aqu a t bi Inas, mor
and salt.. 01. ,
wto aud lhocupo), Duuley, defenued.—P
tAta mud the (Mt:notion covered 'ascot igie