The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-07-04 00:00:00

iCocal• anb istrict gets.

THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.

The ordinary monthly meeting of this Board
was held in the Commissioners' Boom in the
Corn Exchange, on Monday evening lest. The
!ambers present were Messrs. James McEwen
leh:iirmati)..Preseolt, Billingharn, and Walker.
. . _ .

The Clerk read the minutes of the last meet-
ing, which, on the niotion of Mr. 13iHingham,
seconded by Major Walker. were confirmed.

The Chairmaa. said the 'first hniu.ss aas a
motion by hiniselt—'• That the contract it ith Mr.
Brooks, and plans, specifications, and quantities
of the school buildings, be forwarded to the
Education Department for their approval, and
for the consent of the Department to a loan by
the Board for a sum not exceeding £4,000, for
the purpose of purchasing a site for the school-
house and buildings connected therewith, and
erecting such school-house and buildings and
meeting the other coals and expenses of provid•
log and fitting up the saute, and for the consent
of the Department to the Board's charging the
school fund and local rate with the payment of
the principal and interest due in respect of such
loan, and spreading the payment of such princi-
pal and interest over a term of years not exceed-
ing fifty, and that application be also made to
the Department for their recommendation to the
Public Works LOllll Commission to make the
said loan to the Board on the security of the
school fund and local rate, to be repaid with the
interest by equal instalnients, within fifty years."
He would just say with regard to the sutu lie
had just mentioned in that notice of motion, lie
had considered in his own mind that that stun
ought to be ample for the erection of schools,
and ought also to include the payment for the
land, &c. He bad been led to understand that
£l9 per child was amply sufficient for building
a school. There had been some built at even a
lower sum than that. He was told that the erec-
tion of the School Board Schoois at Kiddermin-
ster had only cost an average of £719 per child;
and he, therefore, thought £4,090 would he an
, ateple sum for their purpose. He thought the
architect would very likely he there that evening
when questions would be put to him as to the
probable cost of the schools, the plans for which
be had prepared. If the Board were ailling to
wait a short time, he ithe chairman t was willing
to do so.

The ether members having assented to this,
The Chairman said in the meantime he
thought it would be advisable to take into con-
sideration the next motion on the agenda. It
was to the effect that the General Purposes Com-
mittee settle the form of advertisement. The
C toduittee were of opinion that it would best to
insert the advertisement in The Builder, The
Buildiuy Noes, %he Architect, The 11r,criey Bill
Advertiser, The ("wily 1.. given, and the Stour-
bridge observer. These were all weekly papery,
and if an advertisement was inserted three times
in tu se papers, it would answer every purpose.
3lajer Walker said that as the architect was
not present, he should move that No. on the
agenda be taken first.
This was seconded and carried.

31 jot Walker then w,vcd tit an advertise-
ment he inserted in the above papers, asking for
tenders tor the erection of the Board Schools.
This was ~.C1::,11t11-1i, and carried.

Tht., Architect i Sniahnau Stinthi having
inAv.i:utereti the ',Jew,

The '2l.isirman said they would now proceed
with motion No. 1. It was to the effect that the
sauctien of ire Education Department be asked
for a sum of £4,0011, for the purchase of a site,
and the trection of schools. He had seen it
stated in the newspapers that the Kidderminster
schools were highly satisfactory; in fact, nearly
as good as they could be. He had been told
that those schools had been erected for consider-
ably less in proportion than the sum he had
stated (which was an average of £lO per child),
whereas, those in Kidderminster were at the rate
of VI per child; but he thought this latter
was an exceptional state of things. He thought
they should be hardly doiug their duty to the
ratepayers if they exceeded £lO per child ; there-
fore, they asked him (Mr. Smith l if £4,000 would
cover the ctst. tat
Mr. Smith. said £4,000 ought to cover the
cost; but if they gut into difficulties as to the
depth of the foundation it might cost more.
In answer to a question,
Mr. Smith said the cost would be consider-
ably increased by filling up the ground two feet
to the level of the road, and the building of two
committee rooms. £c.

..
The Chairman asked whether the expense of
filling up the ground to the level of the road
could not be preventcd. It would not be neces-
sary to raise it for the purposes of drainage, as
the sewage cauld be carled away. Other mem-
bers suggested that the committee rooms be dis-
pensed with ; and the architect said that would,
of conies, lessen the expense.
The Chairmas then read the motion.
Mr. Petsrott said L.lO per child was a very fair
rate at a hich to build the Board schools; bat
they only bud to necounnodate 311 children, end
Ire was sore the I hpartment would not sanction
such an outlay as £4,011d for that number.

'file I!uial iii renottked that they
iltemetl it all vistil,:e to Furitl,j seitool
uc-
CoiiiOhlti.;t for .100 childreo.

31e. Ptc,eqt ?t ti ........t they hal an right
to expand us torch as .t-4,000, shit ti sharp die-
cosFion to,u.•‘l, which was t tided by

j•l\ r
posit. i l:!.

olitig ti&(7:l::leni:io'a pro

!e;;,r.,:1 as all ;1111elia,11:,11t
Ihe words w. re oiteatraon, and the erd.;hoil
jiiopco.a ho satel.4ll Flit Mid Carri Al.
Tflt: 61kiti lite next motion No. 4 Olt
the lige tidal was tat the effect that. the appoiat,
went of Facer anal Pent., as the tet:ici-
tors to draw ay the contract for the ercctioo of
the school board schools, ac., be coutirmed.
This was seconded and carried.
The Chairman then read the following letter:
" Stourbridge, June 9th.

Mr. MEI!

the w.ros

lid .1

" Dear Sir,—As the Clerk to the School Board,
and :teting as the solicitor for that Board in the
purchase of the land in Hill-street, in this town,
from Brooks, I bog to give you notice that the land
is leased for some years to the Talbot Hotel Com-
pany (Limited), and underlet by that company to
Parker. And, further, take notice that two mem-
bers of the Board alto voted for the purchase of
that site are shareholders of the Ttdbot Hotel
Company (Limited), and ought not to vote for the
purchase thereof, and have become disqualified.
" Yours obediently,
"G. IV. PREK'OTT."

- - --
During the reading of this letter, Major
Walker nas seized with an uncontrollable fit of
laughter, in which some of the other members
joined. When he had somewhat recovered him.
self he said: " Mr. Chairman, I beg your par.
don, but it is so madly ludicrous that I could not
help it. He continued in a tone of mocking rail.
lery, "And they are disquali&d " and burst
out laughing.

Mr. Prescott said Major Walker might laugh,.
but if there wan not something in it, why were
they ntit there. He was quite prepared to meat
the question. Mr. Stringer had not made his
appearance there that night.
The Chairman : He's from home.
Mr. Prescott : I know all about it—(renewed
laughter from Major Walker and others).
Air. Preseott (to Major Walker) : I can afford
to tiest your laughter as ignorance. I can't ex-
pect anything more from an ignorant donkey
tht.n a grin. lam quite satisfied that he is die-
quahfied..

• ,
Ihere being no other business, the Chairman
declared the meeting closed.
Mr Prescott was about to re•open the subject
when he was told that it was too late to do so, as
the meeting was over.
Mr, Presco•t said after that great laughter he
was entitled to bring the matter forward. He
a-lod for t abstract of title and agreement.
lbs letter had been read, and he was entitled to
refer to its contents. He read the 34th section
of the Act bearing upon the point, and said he
would prove the disqualification of the two mem-
bers referred to in two months.
The meeting then separated.