The Rushden Echo and Argus,24th January, 1930, transcribed by Jim Hollis
Site in Irchester Road - War’s Effect on Infants’ Attendance
The plan of new schools, to be erected in Irchester-road, Rushden, in accordance with the reorganisation of the schools, resultant upon the findings of the Hadow Commission, appears to be nearer fruition than had been anticipated.
At the usual meeting of the Rushden Education Sub-Committee and the School Managers on Tuesday, it was reported in the matter of a provision of a playing field that the County Education Committee had been in negotiation with the Rushden Urban District Council for a new site of about five acres on the Irchester-road for a playing field and a new school for infants and juniors.
Mr. Perkins said it was proposed to build houses on one side of the site and the other side would be fenced off and would be at the disposal of the Education Committee. The new school would occupy about two acres, leaving three acres for the playing field. The school would be at the top of the hill. They would, of course, get no senior school there, and furthermore it would not be required.
The attendance officers’ report was presented, and revealed the following figures :- Newton-road mixed, total attendances 387.3, percentage, 92.3; Alfred-street mixed, 421.7, 91.4 per cent; Intermediate 256, 93.7 per cent; South End mixed, 143.7, 89.4 per cent; Newton-road Infants, 299.8, 90 per cent; Alfred-street Infants 158.9, 90.2 per cent; South End Infants 89.3, 88.6 per cent; Moor-road Infants 177.7, 93.5 per cent.
The total number of attendances was 1934.4, against 1951 for the corresponding period of last year. An interesting feature was the high attendance of infants (under 5), 160.5, against 119.5 for the corresponding period last year.
Commenting on these figures, Mr. Perkins said that this large increase meant that they were getting away from the effects of the War period.
Mr. Vorley : I think it will soon remedy itself.
Mr. Corby : I don’t know. You want to read the Medical Officer’s report.
Holidays for the ensuing year were fixed as follows :- Easter, Wednesday, April 16, to Monday, April 28; Whitsun, Friday, June 6 to Monday June 16; Summer, Thursday, July 31 to Monday, Sept. 1; Feast, Monday, Sept. 22; mid-term, Friday, Oct. 31 to Monday, Nov. 3; Christmas, Dec. 18 to Monday, Jan. 5, 1931.
Those present were ; Messrs. B. Vorley (Chairman) , F. Corby, L. Perkins, M.B.E., C. Claridge, W.E. Capon, E. Freeman, L. Baxter, A. Allebone, C.C., F. Green, with the Clerk (Mr. John Ferris).
The meeting of the school managers following the Education Committee meeting, sanctioned the provisional appointment of Miss Phyllis Godfrey to the position of assistant certificated teacher at Alfred-street mixed, as from Feb. 1.
It was reported that the Town Sports, Ltd., were being approached as to their fee for allowing the children of Newton-road school to use their ground as a playing field.
The question of the provision of a Board Room and office was discussed, as it was pointed out at a previous meeting that the present rooms at Alfred-street School were to be utilized shortly as a clinic for the whole town.
The new rooms it was stated could be either at Newton-road, Moor-road, or the new school in Irchester-road, but Moor-road would undoubtedly be the most central.
Mr. Baxter humorously asked if a billiard table would be fitted up, so that the members could amuse themselves after the meetings.
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| The Rushden Echo and Argus, 2nd May, 1930, transcribed by Jim Hollis
New School For Rushden
Four Acres of Site Near Irchester Road - Education Committee Favourable
At their meeting on Saturday the Northants Education Committee had before them a report from the school buildings sub-committee regarding a site for a new school for Rushden, on Purvis-road and Irchester-road.
It was stated that the District Valuer had provisionally notified the value of this site of approximately 4 acres 2½ roods at £1,330, after taking into account the conditions already agreed between the Committee and Rushden Urban District Council. Subject to the observations of the Education Committee and of the Urban District Council, he was prepared to submit his official report. The Sub-Committee approved the price as notified and directed that, subject to the receipt of the District Valuer’s Official Report, the General Purposes Sub-Committee be requested to recommend the purchase of the site.
The Secretary subsequently reported that, after consultation with Rushden Urban District Council, the District Valuer (Inland Revenue Department) had issued his final provisional valuation of the land proposed to be acquired as a site for this school, in the following terms:- (1) The price to be paid for the 4 acres, 2 ½ roods of land to be £1,400; (2) The County Council to pay all the legal expenses of the acquisition and to bear the cost to the Urban District Council of diverting the footpath crossing the land.
The committee resolved to recommend – that, subject to the approval of the Board of Education, the County Council be recommended to purchase the site from the Rushden Urban District Council for the sum of £1,400 for a Council School, on the conditions set out above; to authorise the paying of legal expenses and the sealing of any necessary documents. The Sub-Committee were of opinion that a loan should be raised to cover the cost. They recommended that the necessary legal notice be issued forthwith for the provision at Rushden of a new Council School for about 400 children to serve the parish of Rushden.
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The Rushden Echo and Argus, 4th September 1931, transcribed by Jim Hollis
Economy Axe to Affect Rushden?
Problem of Proposed Irchester Road School
What will the County Council do?
Will the appeal for national economy and the curtailment of County Council schemes up and down the country have its effect in Rushden?
We refer to the erection of the elementary school on the Irchester-road.
There is some apprehension locally that in view of the national economic and financial crisis Northants County Council may abandon the scheme for the time being.
Other schemes have been held up temporarily in a number of counties and there are good grounds for the fears of those who believe that work on the new school will be still further postponed. Everything is ready for the work to commence and the scheme has had the full approval of the Education authorities.
A new school, too, is urgently needed. At least one school in Rushden is absolutely filled to capacity and has had to refuse scholars.
We have heard that at the present time six Rushden children are attending the Higham Ferrers Council School.
In view of these circumstances, we express the hope that the county authorities will, so far as the proposed school at Rushden is concerned, at any rate, bear in mind the statements which have appeared in several London newspapers – and which there is no reason to disbelieve – urging that the Government do not want the wholesale curtailment of public works, with consequent unemployment, and that there is no need for panic.
It is emphasised that policy of wholesale drastic economies in this direction by local authorities, would add to the numbers of unemployed rather that help to solve the problem.
At almost every meeting of the Rushden Education Sub-committee or of the School Managers, for some time past, reference has been made to the urgency of pushing forward the scheme and the local authorities have done all possible in the matter.
It is the County authorities who have been responsible for the building not being started before and there is no doubt but that the situation will be very serious if the scheme is still further postponed.
The “Echo and Argus” approached Mr. A. Allebone, a member of the County Council, and of the Rushden Education Sub-Committee and School Managers, but he stated that he was not in a position to make any announcement on the subject.
We await with interest an announcement from the County authorities.
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