School History 1925
1925
In 1925, George V and Queen Mary were still on the throne, and Stanley Baldwin was in his second term as the Conservative Prime Minister. In the Spring of that year, the Art Deco style was launched in Paris, and F. Scott Fitzgerald published 'The Great Gatsby'. In August, John Logie Baird was demonstrating his television technology, whilst throughout the year an increasing number of disillusioned workers in Britain were migrating to Canada, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Rhodesia, looking for a better life.
Many of the events of the next few years in Hemsworth and its surrounding districts were to be influenced by the national economic conditions in 1925 and more specifically by the leaders within the Trade Union Congress. During the First World War, the miners, dockers and railway workers had formed a Triple Alliance which united almost one and a half million workers. Other groups of workers joined them, and the TUC grew, until it represented a formidable number of industries and individuals.
In 1925, Stanley Baldwin appointed Winston Churchill as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Churchill had been influential in breaking the miners' strike of 1921, and was hated by the workers for this. In his April 1925 budget, Churchill aimed to make the pound as valuable as the dollar (returning to the Gold Standard) and as such, overvalued the pound by 10%. Industry bosses had to make up for this overvaluation somehow, and the solution of the mine owners was to reduce the miners' wages and increase their hours of work. The Trade Union Congress protested, offering its support to the miners, and so the government supplied a nine-month subsidy for the miners' wages and appointed a Royal Commission of Inquiry to look into the problems of the mining industry. Neither side really believed a solution would be found, as previous such attempts had always resulted in a recommendation for nationalisation of the mines, which the mine owners obviously did not want.
This period was looked on by the Government as a time to prepare for a huge fight with the working classes, and by the workers as a time to organise themselves for the battle to come. In this respect, therefore, the year of 1925 for the majority of the Hemsworth and District workforce was the calm before the storm.
Can We Reduce the Fees?
The agenda was a busy one at the first Governors' monthly meeting at the end of January1925. Alderman Price, the chairman, promptly introduced his first proposal, which was to reduce the school's fees payable per term from three to two guineas. The matter of fees had first come to his attention when there had been an application from some poor parents for assistance for their child to be admitted to the school. Having examined the economic circumstances of the family, and in light of the general current expectation of more hardship to come, the chairman had formed the opinion that the reduction should be made. He said that the time had come when, "the kiddies ought to be considered". The general consensus was that the Governors should apply for such a reduction to the Higher Education Committee of the West Riding.
As a member of the County's Higher Education Committee, Alderman Price had a chance to influence its decisions, but the resolution to reduce fees from the school's Board of Governors had missed the issuance of the County's financial statements by one week. When Ald. Price asked the Treasurer whether the statements contained allowance for the reduction of fees, he was told, "No". He went on to fully explain the particular difficulties of parents in a mining area such as Hemsworth who were trying to maintain their children at Secondary schools. On hearing this, the Higher Education Committee's chairman, Mr. Hallam, stated that while there was no possibility of reducing the fees during the next twelve months because the estimates had already been passed and approved, however, powers would be granted to consider an emergency resolution from Secondary School Governors where a student's father had been temporarily thrown out of work. This would apply to all Secondary Schools in the Riding.
Not every Governor agreed with Ald Price about reducing the fees. Mr. G. Beaumont thought that anyone who could afford to pay £2 2s. per term would be able to find £3 3s. He did not think that reducing the fee by £1 1s. would be of much material help to parents, and the school would probably be turning away valuable income. Mrs. Garstang however disagreed with this, saying that everyone appreciated more the things for which they had made a sacrifice.
The New Extensions and Head's House
Word had at last been received from the County Authorities that a tender of £7,005 12s. 6d from Messrs. Gregory and Sons of Castleford for the building of the proposed extensions to the school had been approved and accepted. There was no mention of any tenders from the original local workmen who in 1921 had completed the conversion work before the school opened. Perhaps these proposed extensions were a larger undertaking needing the expertise and equipment of a bigger firm. A tender by the same company for £1,300 for the building of the Headmaster's house had also finally been accepted. The Yorkshire Electric Power Company had been notified that a supply to the present school buildings was requested, and it was now the time to decide whether the wiring should be installed for electricity to light the new extensions also. Without hesitation this course of action was approved by the Governors.
Old Boys' Association
Mr. Jenkinson announced in January 1925 that he intended to form an Old Boys' and an Old Girls' Association at the school, mainly in order to enhance the future work prospects of school leavers. He said there existed a Central Association which helped its members by contacting 'masters of labour' and helping "Old Boys" to obtain good posts after leaving school, and so a possible affiliation with this might be beneficial.
An Advisory Committee
For some time Mr. Jenkinson had been contemplating an increased involvement between parents, staff and the Local Authority, in order to encourage the smooth running of the school, and develop opportunities within the school which would benefit the pupils. The idea of such a committee was no doubt well-meant, if naïve, as it would have no executive power to control the affairs of the school. Such gatherings are often 'talking shops', but the altruism of the original idea was commendable.
The response from the County Authority to this proposal stated that it would not be practicable for a member of the staff of the County Education Department to attend the meetings of an Advisory Committee on a regular basis, but special arrangements could possibly be made for this, upon request. The letter asked for details of the numbers and ratios of parents, teachers and governors envisaged on such a committee, and what their function would be. Clearly the chairman and Mr. Jenkinson needed to meet the Director of Higher Education and explain their ideas to him.
The Headmaster's view was that there should be four Governors on the committee - the chairman, the vice-chairman, one lady and one gentleman. Four representatives of the school might be the headmaster, senior mistress and two first assistants, and there could be six representatives of the parents - three fathers and three mothers. Parents could have their own meeting to decide who they would nominate. Opinion was divided on the parents' representation, as many thought that each parish should have its own representative, but the headmaster maintained that this would make the committee too large.
The Holgate Exhibition Fund
The clerk to the Trustees had informed the Director that there was an accumulated sum of £700, (£60 per year since 1916) which had originally been allocated to the Hemsworth Boys' School under the former Archbishop Holgate arrangements, and which could now be invested, and the income used to provide scholarships for poor children in the parish of Hemsworth at the Hemsworth Secondary School. The Director supported this course of action and would suggest approval of this proposal to the Board of Education, saying, "It appears therefore, that the Trustees are not unmindful of the useful purpose which could be served by Exhibitions tenable at Hemsworth Secondary School." He said the County Council had had the power in 1916 and subsequently, to confiscate those particular funds of the Holgate Charity, but did not intend to do so just as long as schemes were formed to provide assistance for children. There was now enough money to provide 40 or 50 scholarships in Hemsworth. This would seem to be a positive move by those who were responsible for maintaining the momentum of the advances in Secondary education in the area. The storm clouds of industrial unrest were gathering, and this was welcome protection for the children.
It would seem from these exchanges, therefore, that Archbishop Holgate's Fund, which had been transferred to Barnsley in 1883, much to the tardy consternation of Hemsworth folk, was yet to supply some residual benefits to Hemsworth Secondary School children, although one can imagine this would be to the chagrin of Ald. Price!
Mr. Wycherley Becomes Gardener
On February 28th 1925, Mr. Wycherley (23) of Nostell Priory was appointed Head Gardener from eight applicants. His weekly wage was £2 10s and he was to commence his duties immediately. This was an appointment which was to last just over 28 years until his retirement in December 1952.
Tributes to the Chairman
At the end of each financial year, or at least around the end of March, the Board of Governors at Hemsworth Secondary School came to an end of its jurisdiction, and drew a line, so to speak, under its efforts of the previous year. Whether this was a time for new members to be co-opted and others to voluntarily retire is not clear, but certainly at their meeting of March 1925 there was an air of finality to the proceedings. Mr. J. Potts said that at this "last" meeting he wished to propose a vote of thanks to Alderman Price, the chairman, "whose unfailing efforts, attendance and courtesy" had been enjoyed by them all. Mrs. Schorah seconded the motion. It was clear that the development of the school in its early days owed much to Mr. Price, and this was the general opinion of all the Governors.
Folk Dancing
The Hemsworth Folk Dance Class competed in the Pontefract and District Musical Competition Festival on 24th March 1925 and was awarded three firsts and one second class certificate. One of the firsts went to the Morris dancers led by Mr. A.G. Jenkinson. A banner presented by the Hemsworth Secondary School for the highest aggregate of marks in the Folk dancing competitions was won by Castleford Girls' Secondary School.
Hemsworth's Folk Dancing Festival
5.30 to 7.30pm Saturday, June 20th 1925
All the local Primary schools were invited to send teams to this festival, and for those who came to Hemsworth from outlying areas, help with their travelling expenses was promised, "should the patronage at the gate allow". This was clearly a festival with a price of admission. The day itself was dry, though threatened with dark clouds.
The all-inclusive feature of this occasion was that the general dances could be danced by anyone who wished, with Primary school children enjoying being able to share the amenities afforded by the venue. There were 26 items on the programme, taking over two hours to complete. Miss Prince was in overall charge of the dancers, and Miss Morgan Jones was assisted with the music by an amateur boys' orchestra of violins, whistles and drums.
In the evening's programme were the following dances.
Country Dances: Helston Furry, Sellinger's Round, Childgrove, My Lady Cullen, Goddesses, Mage on a Cree.
Morris Dances: Winster Processional, Rigs O' Marlow, Country Gardens.
Sword Dances: Flamborough Head.
A Water Shortage
During 1924 there had been some discussion about the replacement of a worn-out hand-pump which took water from the well in the quarry area, and enabled the school to have an independent water supply from the rest of the town. It was felt at that time that the expense of a new pump and reservoir tank could not be justified when in the plans for the new buildings scheduled to start soon, a 500 gallon tank within the roof of the school had been included in the estimates. An electric pump to serve this tank would have to be installed at some time in the future when a power supply was laid on to the school.
Events conspired a year later in the summer of 1925 to highlight this unlucky lack of foresight, as there was a water shortage, and the water supply to the school was regularly cut off for 24 hours every week. The building work was still in the very early stages at this time, and no electricity meant there was no means of lifting the water to a tank, even if one were to be available. A new hand-pump would not have been sufficient for the job. To move things along, the chairman was given the power to accept any tenders for a tank as speedily as possible, and meantime everyone had to work around the difficulties as best they could.