After a prolonged discussion lasting over a period of several months, and the forwarding of recommendations urging certain courses upon the County Education Committee, the Rushden School Managers have had to realise that at the present time there is a very definite limit beyond which they cannot hope to go. They have been concerned for several months with the question of accommodation at certain schools in the town, as the result of a position largely created by the fact that children born just after the War have now attained senior school age, and also by the fact that many children now reside on the new housing estate in the vicinity of Irchester-road, where the County Council have sanctioned the erection of an elementary school.

This, as we pointed out quite recently, is urgently needed, and until it is provided the whole question now confronting the local Managers will never be solved satisfactorily. In the meantime, however, the County authorities have refused to sanction the accommodation of scholars from the vicinity of the new estate at temporary premises until the new school should be built, but neither do they seem anxious to press forward the latter work. In fact, in view of the strict economy that is urged in local as well as in national government, it is an open question whether or not the work will be commenced for some time.

It seems, therefore, that Rushden must make the best of the existing schools for an indefinite period, and arrange for the attendance of children at the various schools to somewhat better advantage than has apparently been done in the past. It certainty stands to reason that if children pass one school in order to attend another, dislocation is being invited, and, as Mr. Freeman suggested at the meeting on Tuesday, the problem could be solved to a certain extent by a closer adherence to a zonal scheme – a school serving the particular area around it.

The complications are at Alfred-street Mixed and Moor-road Schools, and there is no doubt that the difficulties there are largely the result of the increasing numbers of children whose parents have secured Council houses on the Irchester-road estate. At least one other school in the town has room for a considerable number of scholars, and indeed, so far as actual numbers are concerned, the Chief Attendance Officer has stated that there is room for another twenty-one children at Alfred-street. In such a time as this, it is not to be wondered at, therefore, that the County Education Committee takes the view that accommodation exists for extra children and room must be found for them.

Such, at any rate, was the ultimatum presented to the Managers, and while the question was thus far solved for them, there remained the invidious task of putting the order – for that is what really amounted to – into operation. The Managers came to what is perhaps the best arrangement possible, but if, as seems probable, the proposed new school will not be erected yet awhile, the time may be opportune for a review of the whole question of the attendance of children at schools further from their homes than need be the case. We note that the Managers were concerned over the fact that six Rushden children have to go to Higham Ferrers Council School, a fact that was noted in this journal several weeks ago, and it is satisfactory to know that they are to be given the option of removing to a Rushden school if they desire.

With regard to the proposed school we feel that all Rushden people will want the scheme to be proceeded with at the earliest possible date; even if all children are accommodated in schools in the town to the very best advantage we feel it will still be necessary. Some teachers are responsible for classes far too large for any-thing like individual attention to be given where necessary, and while this may not be peculiar to Rushden, that is no reason why it should continue in Rushden if it can be avoided.

In conclusion, we trust that it will be borne in mind that any inconvenient dislocation that may result in the schools is no fault of the Rushden Managers, who have consistently pressed not only for the new school, but also for temporary accommodation until the school should be built.