The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-05-16 00:00:00

Nocal an 11,istrict Pius.

THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.

The adjourned meeting of this Board was
held in the Commissioners Room at the Corn
Exchange, on Monday evening last. The meet-
ing was adjourned for the purpose of receiving
the Government Inspector's report as to the
adaptability of Banbury Hill Chapel for the
purposes of a Board School. There were pre-
sent ; —Meagre. llcEiven, Billinghain, Walker,
Prescott, Stringer, and Wall.
The C!erk read the minutes of the last meet-
jug; and, on the motion of Mr. Stringer, sec-
onded liv M. Billingham, they were confirmed.
The Chairman said the first business on the
agenda was a motion by Mr. Prescott, having
r,f,r nee to the proposed purchase of a site on
Hanbury Hill.
Mr. Prescott said that agenda No. 2 should be
taken before that. _

-----
'I his agenda consisted of a motion by Mr
Prescott containing a clause to the effect that it
should be brought forward in the event of the
General Purposes Committee recommending the
purohase of Hanbury Hill Chapel, and the Chair-
man rinarked that that motion would lint stand
as the committee had not recoodnended the pur-
chase of the building referred to.
Some discussion ensued, and eventually Mr.
Prescott withdrew agenda No. 1.
The Chairman said the next business was the
consideration of the architect's and inspector's

reports.
Mr. Prescott asked when the architect's re-
port was received, and was told that it was re-
ceived on the 27th April; and, in answer to a
questind from Mr. Wall, it was stated that the
inspector's report was received on the same day.
Mr. Prescott asked how it was that these re-
ports were not left at the Clerk's office so as to
give the ratepayers an opportunity of inspecting
them. He had been to Mr. Perry's office that
iu V dog, and was told they were not there. Ac
cording to the Act, every ratepayer was entitled
to inspect the whole of the papers of the Board,
at any time. He did not know whose fault it was
that those papers were not at the clerk's office,
but he was certain it was an illegal act to keep
thew away, and one which was liable to be chal-
lenged at any time.
The Chairman then read the Government la-
spector's report, which was as follows:

Sir,—ln accordance with your request I beg to send
you my opium° as to whether the etourbriuge Bapti.t
Chapel and Schools may be adapted to aerve as Board
School., and to supply the secousturelation roquired by
the Education DepartmLut. After taking into considera-
tbm the inadequate size and the narrowness of the site,
the insufficient height and inconvenient shape of the
buikling, the weakness of the walls, roof, and floors, the
unsuitabeness of the Willi/OW:I, &C., I am constrained to
report that without an outlay nearly, if not quite, as large
as w 'aid Sullied to provide new schools, t: e premis, s to
qin,tiota could not be made efficient for the object whit,-b
you have in view.
litter these einsumetances, I bog I; recommend that
Vie scheme of cone, cling the Baptir4 Chapel into Koala
Schools snouid be abawlooed, and to• entirely nee
bui.dinge should br erected on one of the tw., very eligible
Lies which have been olf”red to the Board for the Fur.
pose

I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your oll)elleilt .4e711‘111,
J. W, 1). lIERNAM•N,
H. M. luspectot of Schools.
' '• ' " '

The Chairman of Schot;i-Board,

Mr. 31cEwen said that after reading that re-
port, which was confirmed by that of the archi-
lect, he thought they had no coor4e left open te
Cent, but t ablution al, id. sof purclo.sing toe
rianbury Hiil eimpel for thu purimaea of the
Board.

Mr. Walker asked to have the architect's re-
port read.
The Clerk then read the architect's report
upon Banbury Hill Chapel, from which it ap-
peered that that gentlemen thought the building
in question unsuitable for the purposes of that
Board.
The Chairman said Mr. Suleiman Smith's
report was virtually confirmed by the Inspector
of Schools, and he considered it was out of the
question to purchase the Baptist Chapel for
schools.

Mr. Walker said after the two reports, the
Board had nothing else to do but to give up all
idea of the Baptist Chapel. He thought, how-
ever, alter the courteous offers that had been
made to them by the Chapel trustees the Board
Was perfectly justified in investigating it. He
propsed that the Clerk write to the trustees de-
clining the Baptist Chapel.
This Wad
.seconded by Mr. Wall, and carried.

_
Mr. McEwen said the next business was a
motion by Mr. Prescott to rescind a propositioi.
for the purchase of a portion of Hanbury Hut
by the Board.
Mr. Prescott explained that he moved this
in consequence of the General Purposes Com-
mit tee not having complied with the law, whicu
the Board was obliged to abide by. He corn-
plaioed that the General Purposes Committee
had taken upon themselves to alter a resolution
which had been proposed by himself. This, he
contended, they had no right to do.
The Clerk read Mr. Prescott's resolution origi-
nal motion, which was to the effect that the
Board imams° a piece not exceeding three acre,
of Mr. Hughes's land, and that the General
Purposes Committee cuter into negociatious run
that purpose.
Mr. Prescott said the plat now was totally
different to what it was when he left it.
After some conversation,

The Chairman said he should submit for their
consideration that that motion of Mr. Prescott's
should be seconded for the reason that they hail
nothing on the agenda which would bring Mr.
Hughes's land before the meeting.
Mr. Prescott said he did not care whether they
proceeded with his motion or not, lie had told
them they were doing something contrary to lea;
and they might please themseives
The Chairman then seconded Mr. Prescott's
proposition.
Mr Walker defended the General Purposes
Co.ninittee from the imputations cast upon them
by Mr. Prescott. They hail done nothing wron,
and the making of such remarks was simply
wasting the time of the Board.
The Chairman then put the motion to the
meeting, and it was carried.
Mr. McEwen said the next business was a
motion by Mr. Prescott to the effect that the;
shouid inspect a piece of land in Foster•street:
The Chairman, in answer to Mr. Prescott, as to
the quantity of land it would be necessary for
the Board to purchase, said the Inspector told
them that three-quarters of an acre would satisfy
the requirements of the Department.
Mr. Prescott said the Kidderminster Schools
were built on half an acre. The piece of laud
which his motion referred to was between the
Saint John's Church and the Vauxhall Inn. It
could be had for Is 2d per yard. It would be
within reach of the Gigtnill and very close to the
&nichell. It was that side of the town from
which they might expect the school children to
come. The well paid workmen of Mr. Walker
would not be likely to send their ehildren to the
Board school. It was from such a district as the
Birmingliam•road that they might expect them
to come. The land belonged to Mr. Heckford.
It had been suggested to him by Mr. Hughes, of
the Star, who had himself been a schoolmaster,
and, therefore, had had some experience in such
matters.

The motion was not seconded, and it dropped
through.

The next two notices of motion on the agenda
were struck out at Mr. Prescott's request.
The next utotioa was one by the Chairman to
the effect that the Board purchase a site for the
schools. This was seconded b 3, Mr. Wall and
carried.
The Chairman then moved that the Board
should purchase as a site for Board school pur-
poses a piece of land not exceeding an sore, in
Hill-street, belonging to Mr. Brooks; and that
the Clerk, under the direction of the General
Purposes Committee. should be instructed to
enter into negotiations for the purchase of the
same. He had moved thatlresolution after care-
ful consideraCon. He, with other members of
the Board, was at one time anxious to get the
Baptist Chapel site, but taking into considers.
tion that if they were to have that they would
have had to pnrehase land from Mr. Hughes, it
would really come no cheaper than if they were
build entirely new schools. With respect to Mr.
Brooks's land, he had always been in favour of
that land since it had transpired that they could
not ha.e Mrs. Wilson's teed without taking such
measures which they as a Board were unwilling
to take. 'With reference to Mr. Brooke's land,
be had not hPerri of a single 011, etion being
raised against it by any p• rson in the town. By
purchasing that laud th.y should be able to place
the schools right in the midst of the district for