EDUCATION – Education in the Parish of Kirkleatham

Accreditation The Redcar and Saltburn-by-the-Sea Gazette 28/12/1877

EDUCATION IN THE PARISH
OF KIRKLEATHAM

            A meeting was held in the National School-room, Coatham, on Saturday afternoon (22/12), convened by the Clerk to the Guisborough Board of Guardians in compliance with a requisition signed by upwards of 50 ratepayers in the parish of Kirkleatham, for the purpose of considering the education question. There was only a small attendance, and the Rev. L. B. Towne (vicar of Coatham) was voted to the chair. Mr. W. Robinson (deputy for A. Buchannan, Esq.) read the requisition asking for a meeting to be called, after which the chairman said he thought it was desirable, speaking from his own experience in school management, that there should be some compulsory powers adopted; and the new clause of Lord Sandon enabled them to have all the advantages of the Education Act without the disadvantages of a School Board. Mr. Bland followed, and was of opinion that a resolution similar to the one proposed to be adopted, would be of great advantage both to parents and children. He reminded the meeting of the indirect compulsion which would come into operation in the year 1880, from children under a certain age, not being allowed to fall or any deployment unless they had passed at least Standard 4. He also pointed out the disadvantages under which school masters laboured owing to the irregular attendance of the children at school, and the consequent loss of the Government grant. In conclusion, he quoted various statistics as to the expense of School Boards, that in Middlesbrough, costing the ratepayer £3,2s. for each child per annum. Mr. Scott said he thought the first thing to be done was to provide accommodation, and the asked the Chairman, if he could give the number of children of the school age. The Chairman replied that he could not give the number of children in the parish, but they could take at least 50 additional children at Coatham Schools, and 30 more at Warrenby, which, in his opinion would give sufficient accommodation. In answer to Mr. Crossley, the Chairman said the school at Coatham was a Church of England School, but it was worked under the Conscience Clause. After some further remarks from Mr. Scott, the Rev. E. Knibbs (Wesleyan), pointed out the disadvantages under which the meeting laboured from the absence of statistics; and a desultory conversation followed, in which the Rev. W. J. Franks (Congregationalist), and Messrs. Proud, Crossley, Shiel, and Watson took part. Mr. Scott at length moved “That the School Attendance Committee of the Guisborough Union be requested to form bye-laws respecting the attendance of children at school in the parish of Kirkleatham, under section 74 of the Elementary Education Act of 1870.” Mr. Bland said he would second the motion, first in the broad interests of the children’s education, and secondly in the interests of the ratepayers. The Rev. E. Knibbs moved an amendment to the effect that the meeting be adjourned until that day, month, with a request that statistics be presented. Mr. T. W. S. Locke, seconded, and the Rev. W. J. Franks supported the amendment. Mr. Rutherford said he should like to remark that as there appeared to be an impression that the meeting was called in the interests of the Church party, such decidedly was not the case, as it was entirely at the instance of the Guisborough Board of Guardians that the meeting had been contravened. On being put to the meeting, the amendment was carried by a considerable majority, and the meeting accordingly stands adjourned until the 19^th proximo.