The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-01-24 00:00:00

OUR FUTURE BOARD SCHOOL.

Any one who happens to have read the syste-
matic and.thorougu-going resolutions to be pro.

posed by Mr. Scott on Monday next, roust be
aware that the Board is now drifting rapidly into
the thick of the question which it has to
_solve.

The resolutions are taree in number, and they
raise distinctly the three points on which the
Board, or we should rather say the Stourbridge
public, has to make up its mind • namely, where
the school is to he placed; how large it is to be;
and thirdly, what is the best mode of dealing
with the financial question; in other words, the
payment of the piper.
We think it highly desirable that the rate-
payers in general should not only watch the
Board at this critical juncture, but should
qualify themselves for an independent opinion
by attending to the evidence that is or will be
brought before them. Nothing can be further
from the wish of members of the Board than to
be left alone and without guidance from the
judgment of their fellowtownsmen, whose views
and interests they are bound to study. A good
deal of interest has been shown in the question
of the site. The Board have done wisely in
taking their great coats and umbrellas, and
stumping the township even in this rainy season,
and looking with their own eyes at every site
suggested. Many of these may be dismissed at
once. The top of Hanbury Hill, for instance,
is out of the question, despite the importance
of the scriptural maxim that 'the little hills"
shall teach the people righteousness. The
ground beyond Heath turnpike is "void for
remoteness," as the lawyers say. On the other
hand it is not well to approach too near the
centre of the town. Schools, like stars, ought
to move each in its own orbit. And whether
the future Board School be at amity and peace
(as we sincerely hope) or engaged in a sort of
covert rivalry with the Church and other deno-
ruitiational schools, in either case it will be
better for these schools to give one another a
tolerably wide berth. Now, the centre of the
town is strongly occupied by the Church schools
and by the Presbyterians. On the other hand
the Longlands is a growing district quite de-
void of schools or any other public building ,
and it is in the heart and centre of the Long-
lands that, the Board, if they are wise will en-
deavour to unfurl their flag. Plsnty of land is
to be had in that quarter. We see that souse of
our representatives have fixed covetous eyes on
a bit of ground facing Heath-street which, oddly
enough, belongs to a member of the Board. If
there are real reasons why the acquisition of
that particular site is important in the public
interest, we trust that those reasons will out-

weigh the honourable reluctance, or, perhaps, 1
the overstrained scrupulosity, of a gentleman
who, besides, has never yet been known to set
his private feelings above the public interest and
advantage. Major Walker, by consenting to
part with an acre of ground at a fair price, might
add very greatly to the claims he already pos-
sesses to be regarded with respect and gratitude.
But if this site should really be preferred, we
would advise the Board to have its value deter-
mined by a trustworthy and impartial arbitra-
tion, and to make its offer accordingly. The
great recommendation of a site of this sort is
its thoroughly healthy character. People have
their own crotchets in education. Thus clergy-
men go in for catechism and singing, and Pres-
byterians go in for needlewprk. Some drive
the hobby of millimetres and hectolitres. Others
will have boxes of bricks and "object lessons."
Now, our chief crotchet is for playgrounds
and fresh air. If we can get the children well
away from the dirty anti smoky and crowded
parts of the town, and give them a good fresh
air bath under the inspiriting influence of Dan
Plicebus as he rolls his golden wheels on high
1 ' then we shall put their minds into activity to-,
gether with their physical natures. No lessons
are really successful that are not pleasurable.
On the next point we have already expressed
our agreement with Mr. Scott. His proposal to
build for 400 children instead of merely for 311
or 80, has nothing about it that can be called
rash or inconsiderate. On the contrary it ap-
pears; justified by the plainest prudential mo-
tives. And as to the proposed loan of 1:3,500
"or thereabouts," from the Loan Commissioners
we must say (wuile reserving an opinion as to
the exact amount) that it does not seem exces-
sively large for the purposes in view, and that
the mode suggested for paying it off seems well
adapted to make the shoe fit easily, and to pre-
vent any unpleasant tightness. It is only fair,
in fact, that the expense of jhundiny a school
,lii distinguished from that of its mere main-
tenance) should be spread over a period of fifty
years. Whatever else our sons and successors
may object to, they surely will not object to the
slight burden thus imposed on them for the
spread of morality and sound knowledge, and
Uhe diminution of pauperism and crime.