The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-12-11 00:00:00

SCHOOL ACCOMMODATION AT HALZSOWEN.

A public meeting of the ratepayers was held in
the National School Room, Halesowen, on Tuesda)
evening, to consider the quesiiim of providing
additional school accommodation in the parish to
meet the iequirements of the Education Depart-
ment.
Ths Ven, Archdeacon Hone presided; and, in
opening the meeting, explained that at a meeting of
rep'. ese ntatives elected by the various to wnshlps,
i
held on the 10th ult., t was resolved that a com-
mittee be elected by the ratepayers of the various
townships in the Union to form a Board of Educa-
tion, to be elected in proportion to the population;
that the said committee be empowered to purchase
the British Schools and the land lately purchased of
Mr. Siviter for educational purposes; that the
c.)mmittee be also empowered to rai,e the necessary
funds for carrying out the above scheme, and all
further requirements by one or more voluntary rates
to be levied npon the whole of the townships,
Mr. E. Gem said the scheme which had been
devised by the delegates and now read to the meet-
ing by the chairman was impracticable. It !gas
thought by many that it would be hardly possible
to carry it out, and they thought that the wisest
course to pursue, in view of the census, which
would take place at the beginning of next year,
would be to defer the consideratiLn. of the question
until then. They were all desirous that the British
Schools should be carried on successfully, and he
believed they were all willing voluntary, to assist
i
the managers of those Nchools n maintaining their
efficien:y. He moved, "That it appears to this
meeting that the scheme proposed by the delegates
is not at all practicable, and that the further oJu...
sidsration of the subject be for the present post-
poned."
Mr. Somers seconded. He said he had ev ry
confidence that the managers of the British Schools
would be able to carry them on, and he hoped that
the ratepayers of the parish, without regard as to
whether they belonged to the Church or Dissenters,
would assist them all they could in so worthy an
object.
Mr. E. B. Phillips said the scheme was absurd
upon the face of it. Where they could induce one
person to pay the voluntary rate half-a-dozen would
refuse. He was still of opinioa that the voluntarY
r ,te would throw a greater exp nse upon the large
ratepayers than the School Board rate. It would be
better to defer it until the census was taken, and
then they would find that they could not p:event
the formation of a School Board.
Mr. Somers asked Mr. Phillips what his object
was in forcing upon the parish the expense of a
School Board?
Mr. Phillips said he did not wish to force a School
Board upon the.parish any more than Mr. Somers
did, but he could sea no other way out of the
difficulty.
Mr. Hingley : Mr. Phillips has not had any
experience in the cost of School Boards, I have :
and I find them very expensive.
in Rowley parish.
Mr Phillips:
ilHPihnglliepys Yes,
nesOther parishes as well at Rowley;
Dudley, for instance. The expenses of carrying on
Board Schools are double those of denominational
schools, either national or British. If a School
Board was formed there would be a shilling rate at
Halesowen for this generation. The actual expenses
under a School Boarl amounted to 7d.
Mr. Somers pointed out that there were hundreds
ionugn d
inf
thete n
in the:parish who would notlbe able to pay a School
Board rate, and why should they try to force it
upon them? It would be better if those gentlemen
who did nct like the the manner in which the
Church people carried out the education, or the
Prim tives at the Britith schools, would build
schools of their own. -

The Chiiirman said the inspect or (Mr. Barrington
War,P,, who recently visi`ed the district, said if a
School Bow d was for nel it woul 1 cost £16,000. in
the erection of schools. Tr.e resolution was put
to the meeting, and carried unanimously.
A vote of thanks to the chairman torminat ed the
proceedings.