The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-02-28 00:00:00

THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.

The monthly meeting of this Board wss held
in the Commissioners' Room at the Corn Ex-
change, on Monday evening last. Mr. James
McEwen presidA, and there were also present :
Messrs. Scott, Stringer, Bilßrigham, Walker and
Prescott.

The Clerk reported that a call of £BO had been
paid by the Guardians. .

.
Orders were made on the treasurer for the
payment of several small amounts.
In accordance with a notice of motion, Major
Walker moved " That it was desirable, pending
the building of new schools, to meet the existing
deficiency by hiring temporary schools, and that
it be referred to the General Purposes Commit-
tee as to the best means of carrying the resolu-
tion into effect." In consequence of the course
the Board had intended to take with reference
to site, it would be two years before anything
could be done in the way of education, without
some other plan was devised to make the unedu-
cated children now running about the streets go
to school. He thought it was a great calamity,
and the Board would be guilty of culpable negli-
gence if they allowed them to go on as at
present.
Mr. Stringer seconded the motion.
Mr. Scott argued the point in a lengthy and
exhaustive speech, in which he stated that they
could not work temporary schools without the
compulsory powers, and if they pat these powers
into force before the Board Schools were finished
it would only be for the benefit of denomina-
tional schools, and to the injury of the Board
schools. Temporary schools would be some-
thing like the ragged schools, and would preju-
dice the minds of the people against Board
schools, instead of enlisting their sympathy and
and support; and the children would be driven
into the denominational schools by the presence
of the compulsory clauses, and it would then be
difficult to get them back when the Board schools
were erected. He therefore moved, as an am-
endment, that the question of hi ring temporary
schools be referred to the Genera! Purposes
Committee, as one on which it is desirable they
should without delay advise the Board; and he
suggested that the question come on for discus-
sion in a month's time.

Mr. Billingham seconded this.
"the Clerk then reud the following letter from
:\fessrs. Corser and Walker, solicitors to Mrs.
Wilson :

Btourbridge, 28th January, 1874.

STOURBRIDGIS. SCHOOL BOARD.

Dear Bir,—ln reply to your letter of the 27th instant,
we beg to say that on no account will Mrs. Wilson make
to or entertain any offer by the School Board for the ac-
quisition of the site it has chosen at the Gig Mill for the
schools; on the contrary she will oppose it vigorously at
every stage.
Independently of the fact that the acquisition of the
site and the purpose would most injuriously affect the
other parts of her property as well as other people's pro-
perty opposite, the situation is moat inappropriate for :he
purpose of the school, being in a main thoroughfare such
as Kidderminster-road, where there is so much traffic.
A schoul there would not only be a nuisance to that part
of the town, but dangerous in its use to the enildr:n
themselves. We Lope that the School Board will recon-
sider their resolution, nut only on the above grounds, but
also on the ground that it may lead to an expen-ive con-
test, especisay when no mein), oth-r more eligible sites
can be obtained by aigreement with the landuwuers.

Vo .re,
YJurs
CuRSER AND WALKER.

Mr. Scutt said he did not see that this letter
affected the subject under discussion, and Major
Walki.r having couseuted to withdraw his unitiou
to favour of the inueudnient, the latter was
curried.

A lung discussiou theu eusued in reference to
the site, alld

_
Mr. Scott asked a series of questions with re•
gsrd to the position of the Board hi case they
took steps to acquire the laud occupied by Mrs.

Tho Clerk si I i the opposition would first be
to the application to the Department for leave to
exercise Lite compulsory clauses, and it would be
competent for the Department to send down an
inspector, who would probably advise the ceutral
authority whether public interests should over-
ride private iuterests with regard to the site.
the question of compensation would follow.
The Chairman observed that if the ground oc-
cupied by Mrs. Wilson was the most eligible site,
be thought private interests should give way to
pubic requirements— (Lear). He was of opinion
that the Board should ask the Department to say
whether they considered tha site as one with
which they would be satisfied. He though Utley
aught:at° ask the Department to advise them as
to wh,thor it would be the best site.

Mr. Scott aski:d whether it would do to write
now, at th s early stage.
The Chairman said he thought they ought to
Jo so at once. He was of opinion they should
ask them whether the site was suitable beftre
taking proceedings.
Mr. Scott: But you could not anticipate that
che Department wauld ever take upon them-
ielves to say the site was uusuitable.
The Chairmau said he thought that it would
us wise to ascertain whether the Department
nail any objection to the site, before commencing
any expensive law proceedings to obtain posses-
sion of it.

, Major Walker said with reference to what was
I stated in the letter with reference to its being
, dangerous to children being turned out of school
I in such a public thofoughfare, he certainly
I though that was a very awkward place to turn
chiidren out of schools. He had seen this suffi-
ciently exemplified when he had been driving in
his carriage past Aufblecote Schools, and be
experienced the greatest difficulty in avoiding
driving over them.
Mr. Prescott read a section of the Act, which
showed that notice must be given to the Depart-
ment before building.
Mr. Scott said at the same time he did not
think the Department could ever take objection
to sites because ti,ey were on public roads. He
certainly did not see the necessity of consulting
the Department at the present time on a question
that must eventually come before them. If they
were to go before them now they should, per-
haps, receive a hurried answer. At the same
time they must not shirk their dudes. If they
were really in earnest they would not waste time,
but would do their utmost to forward the work
for which that Board was formed.

Mr. Prescott said they must be guided by the
Act because Mr. Perry would have to go by:it.
Mr. Scott asked the Clerk what was meant by
"residential property 2"
It was explaioed to bun that the term meant
property which had a house or residence upon
it.

Mr. Prescott said if they only sold all the land
there was an answer to Mrs. Wilson or any other
person. ile meant that there vs a house be-
longing to Mr. Mills, and the mein entrance to
that property was by that house.
Mr. Se.dt said he apprehended that such a
plea as that land was residential prop, rty could
not be maintained. And further, he did not
think they should be guided by that litter icon