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LEDBURY URBAN COUNCIL.I

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HEREFORDSHIRE TEACH ERS'STRI…

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HEREFORDSHIRE TEACH ERS'STRI KE Ii I REMARKABLE SCENES AT LEDBURY I I Girls take Command ef School. We Want Our Coverness Baok Again. Monday last was the first day of the Hereford- j shire teachers' strike, and some remarkable scenes were witnessed at the Ledhury Girls' School, where a Miss Creasey, of Knebworth, j Herts., one of the" strike-breakers" secured by the Herefordshire County Education Com- mittee, was placed in charge of the school. The girls' and infants' schools adjoin, but the latter was closed, consequent upon the resignation of the whole staff and the inability of the Special Committee to procure teachers to take up the work. At the girls' school the headmistress and three assistants had resigned, leaving only one assistant, Miss Ballinger, who was recently appointed, and Miss Creasey, the headmistress who was appointed over the heads of the local body of managers. The average attendance at the girls' school is 165, but there were less than a hundred present when the school was opened in the morning. At the outset the scholars were obedient enough and marched into school, but during the morning trouble developed among the girls and there were some lively scenes. I GETTING OUT OF HAND. Before play-time some of the girls became unruly, and a desk was pushed over, and ink- pots emptied, while strumming on the piano was indulged in. There was some difficulty in getting the registers marked, as the proper key could not be found. The keys were, of course, all given np by Miss Henley, the headmistress- who has resigned, on Friday afternoon when she left school for the last time, and out of the vast number of keys, which were all on one- string, it was naturally difficult to find the right one. Added to this difficulty was the fact there were only two teachers to do the work of six, necessitating the pressing into service of older ,girls as monitresses, who however, quite failed, naturally enough, to keep the children in order. The girls did as they liked. It was a beautiful morning and some ot them had a stroll up Dog Hill and along the Green Lane, along Back Homend, and others went dowu town. At playtime the trouble began in earnest. The old teachers of the two schools, Miss Henley, Miss Adams, Miss Lee, Miss Hardwick, and Miss Underwood were in the vicinity of the schools at the opening at 9 o'clock, but none of them interfered in the slightest with the children. Miss Hartland went up at 10 30 a.m., but only stayed a few minutes and left before playtime. This was the last time any of the teachers on strike were in the vicinity of the school, with the exception of Miss Underwood, who passed by about two o'clock, but did not stay- a minute. SCHOLARS WANT A STRIKE. I At play-time, one girl, the ringleader of her class, instead of marching into school, marched out of the playgronnd with 30 or 40 other girls. They subsequently returned, and chalked on the school doors and walls, H We want our governess back again and we mean to have her," 4t On Strike," and We want a strike." When the school broke up at dinner-time Miss Creasy did not leave immediately, but when she did go was immediately escorted down Church-street, and across the bottom of the town, by a yelling crowd of schoolgirls, who alternately cheered and jeered. The lady, how- ever, took the whole business very good- humouredly and smiled on her would-be tor- mentors. I AND THEY HAVE ONE. I But it was when the girls assembled for afternoon school that the chmax came. Sunrely never has the playground of the girls' school held such a shrieking, passionate body of girls assembled there shortly before 1.30 p. m. The girls were evidently divided into two camps, one set who were determined to make matters uncomfortable for somebody, and the other body content to act in a quiet, orderly manner. And the girl "strikers did go it, to be sure. They had made up a composition on the subject which was agitating their minds and they sang it to the tune of For he's a jolly good fel- low"- Miss Henley's a jolly good mistress, Miss Henley's a jolly good mistress Miss Henley's a jolly good mistress And we want her back again. We'll have her back again We'll have her back agailt Miss Henley's a jolly good nistress Miss Henley's a jolly good mistress Miss Henley's a jolly good mistress And we want her back again." And they did not stop at this. There were fights-nothing much, of course, but still some of the girls were at it, though they did each I other no harm to speak of. Just turned half- ) past one the news went round that Miss Creasey wis coming. As she entered the play- ground some of the girl" strikers" met her and one, the ringleader, was understood to demand the keys. The "strikers" packed the front door, but Miss Creasey did- not approach it, and for some time held parley with the I strikers" at the infants' end of the play- ground. One girl climbed up to the window, and essayed to get into the school that way, but was unsuccessful, and then the back door key was procured, and a number of the girls went in school. The piano was heard going, and one girl pulled down the blinds. Another got at the lobby window and started throwing out the articles of wearing apparel that the girls had left at school in the morning. Then there was a call for the bell, and this was brought and rung at the window by the girl standing thero, and when she got tired she handed it down to the other ringleader and she rang it for a time. The strikers," in soue cases urged on by the mothers, seemed possessed, and one or two of them were white with passion, as they told the "strike-breaker" that she was not going into the school that day. And she did not, either. t SCHOOL ABANDONED. One father who was watching the scene— there was quite a crowd, on the opposite side, by the way, including a good many mother?— fetched his two girls out of the playground and sent them home. And so the scene went on for an hour-and-a-half, until at 3 o'clock Miss Creasey left the playground. Coming up the lane leading to the school she met Mr E H Hopkins, County Councillor and a member of the Education Committee and the Special I Committee which has had the teachers' question in hand, and Mr H Vernon Smith, corres- pondent of the local body of managers. There was a conversation between Mr Hopkins and Miss Creasey, and the upshot was that Miss Creasey continued her way, and Mr Hopkins telephoned to Mr Wiltshire and informed him of the state of affairs. As a result two additional teachers were drafted to the school on Tuesday morning. I NO TROUBLE AT THE BOYS' SCHOOL. At the boys' school the only teachers on duty were Mr G W Paul (headmaster) and Miss Paul (uncertificated assistant), who have not resigned, and Mr Burston, an uncertificated assistant: who was recently appointed by the County Education Committee to fill an ordinary vacancy. There was no trouble. Some of the infants' came up to the school on Monday morning, not knowing it was closed, and one little fellow was in tears at the prospect of no school, but soon dried his eyes. During the morning the N.U.T. pickets, Mr Campbell (Yarkhill) and Mr Bolton (Ashperton), two headmasters who are strikers, visited Ledbury and called upon Mr and Miss Paul and Miss Creasey, but without result. I ALL QUIET ON TUESDAY MORNING. On Tuesday morning all was quiet at both schools. Mr E H Hopkins and the Rector (the Rev F W Carnegy) visited the girls' school, and the Rev Father Lynch had in the meantime had a few pointed words with some of his flock, which effectually put an end to any trouble on the part of Catholic children. Below we give particulars of the position at I the various schools in this distriet, culled from the I' Hereford Times LEDBURY. I Mr C E Baker, Mr F M Draper, and Mr E W Reed have all resigned from the boys' school, and one appointment has been made-an assistant from Bath. So far the school is being conducted by Mr Paul, the new assistant (Mr Burston), and Mr Paul's daughter. The infants' school is closed, Miss E Adams (headmistress), Miss C L Lee (who has been away owin g to illness), Miss L E Hardwick, and Miss K Underwood, having all resigned. Many of the children commenced to cry and could not understand the position of affairs at all when told there would be no school. In the girls' department there is only one un- certificated teacher of the old staff left, and Miss Creasey has taken over the headmistress's past. Those who have resigned are Miss Henley (headmistress), Miss Hartland (certificated), Miss Hart and Miss Lloyd (uncertificated). Miss Creasey had some considerable bother, because they could not find the books for the children to commence work. M'ss Creasey is not a member of the National Union of Teachers, and at the time she heard of the vacancy she was taking a holiday, so was able to come at once. She thought Ledbury would be a nice place in which to spend the remainder of her holiday, for she was only at the school en supply. Miss Creasey hopes the schools of the county will go on satisfactorily, and that the teachers will get the best terms possible. She is not out against the teachers at all, according to a statement she has made, and on Monday told the children she was only there until Miss Henley returned. COLWALL. I At the Col wall girls' school Miss E A Smith (the mistress) does not leave the school for another six weeks, but Miss Stokes (certificated) is out, and her place has been taken by a lady from North Wales. She has not been a teacher for some three years, but has been headmistress of several schools. The boys' school is open, for the resignation of the headmaster (Mr Waters) does not expire until the end of March. The whole staff was working as usual. CODDINGTON. I Mrs M A James is a member of the Union, and has tendered her resignationi which should have taken effect on Monday, but she opened the school as usual. She had not been teaching long, however, before she fell to the lfoor in a faint, and the children had to- be sent home whilst the unfortunate mistress was taken to the Vicarage. It was not expected that the school would be open this week. MATRON. I Mathon school is closed, and Mr and Mrs Jackman showed no signs of giving in. So far no appointment has been made. Mr Jackman has been at the school for four years, and was given a rise of jS5 last year, and was offered 25 more when the Education Committee recently considered its salaries' list. His wife, who is ancertificated, was paid as a supplementary, and although she held the same qualifications, a teacher next door is getting 520 a year more. The house goes with the school, and they have been asked by the managers to give it up. CRADLEY. I Cradley is probably one of the most yp-to-date schools in the county. The buildings are spacious and well adapted, whilst there is a school garden near at hand, two runs of poultry, and a number of beehives. The children are given practical instruction by the master, Mr B G Abel, and the parents set great store on it. The school was closed on Monday, but about 130 children turned up at nine o'clock. The Rector eventually told the children that there would be no school until further notice. Mr and Mrs Abel, the latter being certificated, are both on strike, as well as Miss E K Haines (uncertiifcated). The managers have had two applications for positions sent to them from the Hereford Education oflices, but both have been refused. All the teachers are very popular in the parish, and, a concert given by the children last week was highly successful. BISHOPS FROME. I This school, with an average attendance of 60, was closed, and Mr and Mrs W A W Turner having resigned. Mrs Turner is a certificated teacher. No. appointments have been made, and it is understood that the managers have stated that they do not wish to appoint. CASTLE FROME. I Mrs Atkinson does not leave school until next I week, her notice only then expiring, but so I far as is known no new appointment has been I made. YARKHILL. I Mr Campbell, the headmaster at Yarkhill, was on picket duty on Monday. He had not heard of an appointment being made, and did not think anything in this direction had been done. His wife had resigned with him, and the notice sent in by Mr J E Edwards, the assistant, also terminated that day. Thus with the exception of Miss Lewis (supplementary) the whole staff was away, but as it was perfectly natural that Miss Lewis could not look after 118 scholars by herself, the building was not opened. During the course of the day the Rector paid Mr Cam p- bell a visit, and said that they could do nothing, because no appointments had been made. Mr Campbell was offered an increase of JB20 in his salary on the occasion when the Education Com- mittee gave the increases of £1.300 and that made his annual income up to 2140 as master of the school. STRETTON GRANDISON. I Mr and Mrs Osborne have resigned, and so far as can be ascertained no appointment has I been made by the managers, and the school is closed. ASHPERTON. I Ashperton school is a rather large one, thare being an average attendance of 104 scholars. Mr Bolton is the headmaster, and he has made himself very popular with his pupils, joining in their games and encouraging them in all kinds of sport. He has also offered to give silver medals to the scholars who attend through out the year without missing, and of course there is keen competition in this respect. During Mne week every available scholar was present three and a half days. A Mr Dry, who has not been a member of the N.U,T. since 1905, has been appointed headmaster, and has with him Miss Morgan (uncertificated assistant) and Miss N Watkins (pupil teacher). UPTON BISHOP. ( At Upton Bishop there are two schools. Gayton school was going on as usual, Mrs Lyndon, who has been in charge for nearly fourteen years, is not a member of the N. U.T., although she was formerly, and consequently she has not resigned. There are 27 children on the books. The larger school was open, but neither the headmaster (Mr F W Davoll) nor Mrs Davoll, the sewing mistress, were at their accustomed places. They had both resigned. Mr and Mrs Davoll have been at the school for 22! years. There are 54 children on the register, 28 below what it used to be and 45 were in attendance on Monday, the teaching being conducted by the two supplementary teachers (Miss Griffiths and Miss Williams). No new appointment has been made. TARRINGTON. j At Tarrington on Monday everything was going quite smoothly, although Miss Wooton, an assistant, has resigned, and no one appointed in her place. Mr Jabez Toyne is the master, and he has not sent in his notice, although he is a member of the Union. He will not resign unless developments make it more necessary, although he is not altogether satisfied. His great difficulty is that there is no other house in the place that he could take and he could not leave the school without sacrificing a good d0-.1. Since he has been at Tarrington he has not been given an increase, and has not asked fer one. At the present time he has two assistants in the school, and although inconvenienced by bei ng one short, he is able to manage. MUCH MARCLE. I Mr T Wilding, master of Much Marcle school, has sent in his notice, but it does not expire until the end of March. Mrs Wilding (supple- mentary) will also come out at the same time as her husband, unless a settlement is reached by then. Mrs Park, an uncertified teacher, is also likely to resign, but if she decides to do so her notice will not expire until the week the headmaster is due to leave. Nothing has been heard of any appointment. WOOLHOPE. I At Woolhope Mr G D Dawson has been head- master for 30 years. On the school register there are 80 children. Mr Dawson has carried on the school, with the assistance of his wife as sewing mistress, two supplementary teachers, and a monitress. Both Mr and Mrs Dawson have resigned. A new headmaster-Mr H Coates, who returned a few months ago from India, where he had been eight years, has been appointed. He has been under the London County Council and at Southampton. His salary will be E120 per annum, including house, with a promise of 910 if the school reports are satisfactory. This is B10 below the revised salary offered Mr Dawson. Mr Coates duly opened school on Monday. He stated that while not antagonistic to the National Union he was not of its members. —

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