AGITATION FOR A COUNCIL SCHOOL
RATEPAYERS' UNION PLAN OF CAMPAIGN.
At a
meeting of St. Annes Ratepayers' Union last week, the Rev. W. Elstub presiding, the
following resolution was passed on the motion of Mr. W. Mackie, seconded by Mr. W.
Westall:
"That inasmuch as the Education Committee and the Lancashire County Council have
not made the much needed provision for a Council School in St. Annes, but have
supported the sectarians in their proposals to enlarge their schools, with a view
of drawing still more from the rates for their upkeep, this Union emphatically
protests against such a one-sided policy on the ground that while taxing the
ratepayers for sectarian education, it leaves them no choice of schools; that in
order to secure a Council School for St. Annes, an attempt ought to be made to
secure a grant from the £100,000 set apart by Mr. McKenna for Council Schools."
At the same meeting the Secretary (Mr. F. W. Fox) reported the arrangements made in
connection with the forthcoming Inquiry; and "the attitude of the Roman Catholics
in connection with the petition against the extension of their schools was
discussed but adjourned for a future meeting."
The Rev. W. Elstub characterized the resolution passed by the Lancashire County
Council with respect to the extensions at Heyhouses School as "neither flesh, fowl,
nor good red herring." He never heard of such a resolution.
While they admitted the right of St. Annes to a Council School they recommended the
extensions at Heyhouses, if the Government would contribute 75 per cent of the
cost, leaving 25 per cent for the local authority; then they recommended a Council
school for 300. It seemed to him they were denominationalists first and
educationists second. He thought Fleetwood was a capital case for them to look at.
A new school accommodating 600 children had cost £7,000, which was 14 pence in the
£; surely a school for St. Annes for 300 could not cost more than a three quarters
of a penny rate.
St.Anne’s Express, October 1907
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EDUCATION QUESTION AT ST. ANNES.
TO THE EDITOR.
Sir,-In writing on the education problem
"Scholasticus" says that Nonconformists of the town will be allowed to build
schools for themselves if they so desire. No doubt, as in the past, the partisans
of the Church still stand for party and privilege. "Scholasticus" denies the right
of every child to receive a sound education at the common expense. He still holds
that the child should be educated at the expense of the party or church, so that
the children of one sect, because they are wealthier, may be better educated than
another.
He still believes in education being restricted to those who are best able to pay
for it, and he does not want the schools where all may be educated free from creed
or distinctive religious teaching. Yet be signs himself "Scholasticus." One might
tempted to ask if the letter was "writ sarkastic." If "Scholasticus" wants
denominational teaching let him have it at his own expense, but let him be
prevented from forcing it down the necks of other people. He speaks about paying
for the schools of the church, I wonder how much "Scholasticus" has contributed
personally towards the cost of keeping up the St. Annes Church schools, and I
wonder what the proportion of the cost of upkeep has come out of the people of the
country? The Government grant is given out of money contributed by the people of
the country. It is a thousand pities that the Church School managers cannot
enlighten us as to the respective amounts contributed out of Church funds, the,
Lytham Undenominational Charity, and by the Government. Will the amount contributed
by the Church be ten per cent?
"Scholasticus" is pursuing the policy of the dog in Aesop's fables. The dog was
crossing the bridge with a. bone in his mouth, and looking over into the water saw
another dog with a bone in his mouth. He snatched for the other bone, and in doing
so lost his own - he lost his own by being greedy. Let "Scholasticus" and his
friends take care and guard against losing their own school in trying to stop a
Council school.-Yours, etc., JUNIUS.
St. Annes, October 24th, 1907.
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