The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-07-18 00:00:00

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ROWLEY SCHOOL BOARD.

The usual monthly meeting of this Board was held on
Monday afternoon; Mr. Basuto) in the chair. 'there
were aeio preheut: Messrs. Lewis, thugley, Hiekntio,
Ho.tgetts, Penn, North, Hadley. and Whaley.
The minute, of the last meeting were read and con•
firm, d.

Ihe School Inspector reported that in the fourth dia.
Viet, comprising 'hut part of the parish below it' dad
Ili9 Schools to the boundary at Cradley Brook, there
were 302 children between the ages of three years mud
five years, and ow of those 141 attended schools of some
dewoninstion or other. There were also 1226 children
between the ages of five and thirteen years, and of three
970 ottended school. 'The children resided in 7Sti
houses. Out of a total of a total of 1,128, 836 attended
authorised schools.

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With reference to the intended purchase of lsnd at
Tividale,
Mr. North said he had called at Mr. Gilbert's house to
make him an over for the land at the price he had
uslued. inclusive of the trones. instead of excins,ve. Mr.
Gdbert was wit at home. and he (Mr. North) wrote Mr.
Gilbert 611 tho bubject He afterwards had an interview
wi h that gentleman, and advised him to sell the minea
with the property, as it was a detached piece of land.
Mr. Gilbert said he would see the other executor and
write him, which he did on the 27th ult, when he intl.
mated that they could not sell the land with the mines.
lie (Mr. North) could not recommend the Board to put
up schools on land where other people would have the
right to get the minerals. He had seen the Duke of
Sutherland's agent at Wo:verhampton. and that gentle-
man had promised to send him a drawing of a piece of
land which had been offered for the purpose of budding
a school for Rowley soma years ago. The land was about
160 yards nearer Dudley than that of Mr. Gilbert's, and
in his opinion they wouol let the Board have the lard
with the mines under He considered It one of the most
convenient pieces of land they could get.
The Chairman said they would require an acre of land
for • school to contain 600 child,en, and that was not
mach more than a quaver of an acre.
Mr. North maid OU 40111, they could get a piece of land
adjoioine, which would suffice for a playground, and he
thought there would be plenty of room on the land to
buiid the school on.

The Chairman said he thought it advisable to
_put
themselves in communication with an architect. Let
him have a plan of tee ground, and ask him if he could
put • school there to accommodate 400 children. He
proposed that Mr. Meredith. architect. of Kidderminster,
It • a.ked to meet Mr. North and himself, and view the
piece of land, make a sketch of it. and report at the next
meeting whether it be suitable for the purposes of the
Board or not, and that Mr. North be requested to go on
with the negotiations.
This was seconded by Mr. Lewis, and carried unani-
mously.

The Chairman maid the question for the Board to de-
cide was whether they should accept the schools offered
to the Hoard, or build schools. Be considered it ripe-
client to build school, of their own, and not rent schoolo
which in the long run wflui become a great expense and
burden on the ratepayers Be proposed "That the
Board build a school at Old Bill to accommodate GOO
children ''

Mr. Hingley said he had taken s nue time to consider
the question, and he had come to the conclusion that as