The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-03-27 00:00:00

BROMSGROVE.

THE SCHOOL MANAGERS AND THE SCHOCbL BOARD.—
The n.enagers of the Church Schools having resolved
" That it is undesirable to transfer any of the existing
schools in the parish to the School Board, and that every
effort be made to carry them on as heretofore," have is-
sued a circular to the parishioners setting forth the
grounds upon which the resolution was passed, and cal-
ling a meeting on Tuesday last to consider how the re-
solution can be carried into effect. The following are
the principal grounds upon which the rosolution was
passed :-Ist. The majority of the Sehcol Board being
Dissenters and small ratepayers (the fonr are only rated
at £l5B 12s. 61), there is a possibility that the schools
under their control may be conducted without a due re-
gard to economy, and that until the policy of the Board
as regazd expenditure is clearly defined, it would be pru-
dent to restrict their operations; as far as possible, to th'..
actual requirement of the Education Departmebt, i.e.,
building new schools at the Lickey End and Dodford,
2nd. That so long as the present infant school is carried
on at ISidemoor, the Board will be relieved from the
necessity of building a new school there, which will be a
saving of at least £1,500 to the ratepayers., It was ob-
served that even if the use of the Mission Chapel could
granted to the School Board, about which great difficul-
ties would arise, the Board would probably decline to
accept it; for although it is an excellent makeshift, it is
hardly such a building as a Board, having the control of
the ratepayers' money, would be content to use. 3rd. It
has been shown by the recent returns of the Education
Department and the National Soeiety, that the cost of
education in School Board schools averages £1 Os. lid.
per child per annum beyond the school fees and tiovern-
ment grant, while the same cost under the voluntary
system averages only Ss. 2id, per child. Assuming there
are now 1,000 child*en in the National Schools, the cost
of educating them by the Beard would probably be about
£1.959 7s. 6L; while the cost under the present system
would be only £615 155., and the difference of £1,343
153. per annum would have to come out of the ratepayers'
pockets if the schools were transferred to the Board. 4th.
The present amount of annual subscriptions towards the
support of the schools throughput tho parish (including
Catshill and the Lickey), which have for years past
afforded the means of education to nearly 1,500 children,
is only ebout £150; and the managers cannot but think
that increased support will be afforded to these Church
Schools, now that the facts have been brought more
prominently forward, and the majority of the School
Board consists of Dissenters having'a mere nominii in-
terest in the rates. sth. With en immediate subscrip-
tion of £l5O, the whole of the liabilities of the Schools
throughout the entire parish can be discharged, and with
an increased annual subscription of about £BO, the first
collection of which need not be made until Christmas
next, it is estimated that the schools can be earned on
in their present efficient state.