The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-07-31 00:00:00

ROWLEY RECiIS SCHOOL BJARD.

A monthly meeting of the above Board was held
on Monday, at the 13oardroom, Old lull; Mr. AV.
Bassa,no (chairman) presiding. There were also
present Messrs. Green, Hadley, Edwards, and
NVhitley
The Finance Committee's report, recommeniing
sun try amounts for payment., was passed, and
afterwards the Board made several alterations with
respect to the leaching staffs at different of the
Bard Schoo's
A communication was read from the Education
Departmen., asking in what manner it was intended
ti utitise the room now occupied by the boys at
Cradley Heath school after the boys were all re-
moved from thence to premises in G-ranger's lane?
Mr. Whitley observed that he thought it would
be well to appoint a deputation to wait upon the
Department and explain matters with reference to
the schools mentioned.
The Chairman said be should be in town on the
following day a -id would call upon the Department.
The Clerk was then instructtd t, wri:e to their
lordships, stating that the chairman would call
upon them, and that it was undesirable to divide
the boys' school, that it would cost no more to put
the whole of the school in Grangers'-lane than to
put putt of it, that it would cost less in te:lching
staff, and that when the ground became settled the
Board might be able to utilise the whole of the
present buildings at Cradley Heath, but that tie
ground was not in a tit condition to be dealt with
for building upon at the present moment.
A letter was read frcm Mr. J. P. Hunt tendering
his res gnation as a member of the Board.
The Chairman said he had tried al he could td
persuade Mr. Hunt to remain on the Board, but he
had positively declined. His health had failed, and
he had nO time to devote to the duties. The
Board would also receive the resignation of Mr.
ilingley in due course. The Chairman referring to
the fact tnat the vacancy caused by Mr. Hunt's
resignation' if persitted in, would have to be filled
up, said he felt he (the chairman) -was in a false
position in sitting there. under the circumstances
which he usually did. Those who were supposed
ti constitute the majority of the Board were con-
spicuous by their absence. The gent!emen referred
to had recognised this, and intimated to him that
they then,tht it was wrong to continue in an office
the duties of which they did not perform. To some
extent he agreed with them, but he was happy to
say that the days in which that Board was affected
by any party contest seemed to have passed awiy.
He did not know that there was ally difference
between the views of the majority aud the minority
of the Board, and if the Board accepted Mr. Hunt's
resignation, he should propose that Dr. Ker be
elected to fill the vacancy. In the case of Mr.
Hingley resign.ng, he (the chairman) should like
to see Mr. Connop take his place, so that if there
was a minority on the Board, it would give to them
a member of their own opinions.
Some discussion followed the remarks of the
chairman, during which Mr. Hadley said if the
electton of Dr. Ker was proposed, he should move
as an amendment the election of Mr. Cave.
_ _ _ _

The Chairman remarked that he hoped *Mr. Had-
ley would not do the ; and aaer seine further dis-
cussion Mr. Green moved, p.nd Mr. Edwards
seconded, that the resignwion of Mr. Hunt be ac-
cepted, and that a letter be written to him express-
ing the Board's regret that he had found it
necessary to take such a course.

The Chairman gave formal notice that at the
next meeting he should move the appointment of a
member to fill up the vacancy caused by Mr.
Hunt's resignation.

The Chairan informed the Board that in a cir-
cular which he had received with the grant for the
Rowley endowed schools the Education Department
intimated "That although there was an appeal
pending on the question of grants f-r half-timers
before ohe of the superior courts, that whatever
the decision might be they should refuse to pay the
grant on calf-timers who had not passed the
necessary standard in alldistricts where bye—laws
standard a n
were in existence." The Chairman explained that
one meattin3 of the circular was that it a child was
pasted as a half-timer in ttliee f
contrary to the Lye-laws,
the lowest which he should pass before becoming a
fourthstandrd ibte was
b
half-timer. The Department, however,- said that it
was open for the bye-laws to be brought befure
i
them tor revision if t was thought that they went
too far.
In the conversation which followed, the Chair-
man and Mr. Green seemed.to be of opinion that
there would be a great difficulty in carrying out the
i
terms of the circular n that parish, and Mr.
Green, in reply to a remark from. Mr. Whitley ob-
served that if the bye-laws were carried out, the
children. would be s'arvd to death in being taught
the rudiments of education. They went to school
with no:hing in their stomachs to be taught tudi-
merits. Ile further remarked that Rowley parish
was the most ignorant parish in the world.
The Chairman : It is not half so bad as Sedg•ley.
Mr. Gret,ii afterwards intimated to the Chairman
that it he would try and get the bye-law-• revis,,d
he should Le .o.:Ft happy to co-op -'ate with in
Th ec, 0,:l-oiliccr (Mr, E ocletr,) re-ort ~1
a slight in,.lease in the attendance at the dii:eren
schools during the month, but that there was still a
number of children absent through want of
sufficient clothing. The total number of the