Church School Barnoldswick History (1)

[Stanley]

Church School Barnoldswick History (1) A FIFTY YEARS   OLD SCHOOL Link with Barnoldswick's Early Days
TEACHER'S LONG SERVICE
To commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the Church School, Bar­noldswick, a special edition of  " The National," the School magazine has been published under the direction of Mr. H. Belshaw, the present headmaster. Largely devoted to articles and notes bearing upon the history of the School, the magazine con­tains a vast amount of useful information and makes excellent reading. The centre page includes a brief statistical survey by Mr. Alban Atkinson an "old boy" and a manager of the School for many years.    Mr. Atkinson writes as follows :—"The Church School, built in 1883, at a cost of £1,800, was opened in January, 1884, by Mr. A. Pollard (headmaster) with a staff of one. The scholars came from the Unity Boys' School, now the 'Brick School,' and used as a workshop, and from the Wesleyan Girls' and Infants' departments. The scholars numbered 114 during the first week, but this number had increased to 250 by the month of April. The School building was cleared from debt by a bazaar and Japanese fair in May, 1884, opened by Mrs. Roundell, of Gledstone Hall, supported by Mr. G. S. Roundell, M.P., and presided over by the Rev. T. Hayes. At the foot of the bazaar programme is the quaint notice :— 'A LATE train will leave Barnoldswick at 8-15 p.m.'." This section of the magazine also contains extracts from the School log book, viz :— February 10th, 1884—"The following resolu­tion has been passed by the managers of this and of the Wesleyan Schools: 'That no child shall be received into the school who is in arrears with school fees of the one he is leaving.' March 27th, 1884—Had a concert in aid of materials for the infants. 10th July, 1885—Comment by His Majesty's Inspector: 'Mr. Pollard had made a vigor­ous and successful beginning in establishing this new school. 16th October, 1885— commenced having fires in the School." A TEACHER'S MEMOIRS. From the pen of Mrs. M. Allum, the oldest teacher, who has been on the staff 34 years, comes a delightful article entitled "The Old Order Changeth." "Many changes have taken place at the Church School since I commenced there in 1889," writes Mrs. Allum. "At that time, the managers were Messrs. Atkinson, Perry, Duckworth, Shorrock and the Rev. F. W. Patten, while Mr. A. Pollard was head­master. The large schoolroom then had no parti­tions and teaching in that room was very difficult. All the children were seated in the old-fashioned long benches, which were neither comfortable nor healthy. To-day, the comfort and health of the child is con­sidered in every way, as can be seen by the chairs and table now in use. In those days the School closed at 4-30 p.m. . A teacher's chair was an unknown thing in those times— now every room boasts one. Slates and pencils were commonly used by the children— another unhealthy method of writing now entirely obsolete. The slates, however, were occasionally useful; I well remember using one with success as a missile aimed at a mouse!    
 Years passed by and the time came for the  retirement of our well-respected school­master. I am indebted to him for many things I learnt during his headship. He was succeeded by Mr.Gregson who stayed with us about three years.  Just about this time Standard 1 became part of the Infants' School, so each member of the staff was transferred to the class above.. It was a very big change for some of us, but we soon adapted ourselves to the new circumstances. "Fortunately, our third headmaster, Mr. Belshaw, is still with us, after about eight years, and during that period we have be­come quite a modern school, with its annual concert, sports day and last but not least, the  'National.' We all hope that the School will enjoy many more years of prosperity under his rule." 
WHAT FATHER SAYS !A racy article headed "School when my father attended is contributed by Jennie Widdup, of Standard VIII., and reproduced below :"Schools of to-day are not what they were when I attended, said my father. 'There were no free feeds and milk and biscuits. The only feeds we got were from Miss Waite— if we behaved ourselves.' Sometimes if we complain to him about getting the cane be will laugh and say it is nothing. One day he related one of the many stories about his school life. He said he once had to go to Crabtree's for a cane for Mr. Turner. On returning he was told to hold his hand out. Quite amazed, he did so and Mr. Turner gave him a good one, ‘it's all right, Widdup,' he said, 'I only wanted to see if it was a good one.' They never needed a doctor at the Church School for if ever a child in the infant class got a bead up its nose my father could always get it down." He can also remember snowballing the Rainhall Road scholars. He said the Rainhall boys would chase them to the Church School gates and then my father and his friends would turn round and have a hand to hand fight. 'This,' he said, 'very often caused trouble for we always got the cane from Mr. Pollard.' "When talking to my aunty she told me a short story of the first time she went to school. 'When I first entered the classroom I thought it was a circus, for the seats were raised one above another and wooden steps ran up the side. In the higher classes I can remember being in a concert. We were all dressed up in white frocks. Round our waists we wore big blue sashes tied at the back in a huge bunch. Our item was called 'Ten Little Niggers.' We girls were on the front row and five boys were behind. One of the boys would persist in touching my frock with his black hands, which were covered with soot. I forgot about the audi­ence—I was thinking about my frock.' Then without a moment's hesitation she turned round and smacked his face. "I then asked my aunty if she remembered anything else, and she told me this rather funny story. 'One day the teacher was putting books in the cupboard. On turning round she espied a girl talking in the corner of the room. This teacher always ran across the room, but that day she got a shock, for her feet caught the blackboard, which came on top of her. The girl didn't get the cane, anyhow," said aunty. 'You girls are lucky,' she said, 'to be going up to the Park playing hockey. We had to work hard if we only, wanted to get home soon. School in these days is not half so stern as it was.' "
 
OLD BARLICK.
An account of Barnoldswick as it was 50 years ago appears above the initials "N.H.A." "When the School was opened," states the writer, "Barnoldswick was very different from the town of to-day. Its population of about 6,000 was isolated from the, outer world, save for the single-line railway opened some 13 years before. "The now delightful Park Road—then generally called 'Blue Pot Lane'—was a country path leading to 'Shutt's Farm' and Park Fields. From Wellhouse Street, save for New Laithe Farm, Long Ing Lane wended its way to Raikes Beck, with hawthorn hedges on each side, but no houses—beauti­ful in summer, but a veritable quagmire in winter, through which one steered one's way at night by the aid of a welcome lantern. Water, like gas, was also a luxury, wells in or near the town supplying that for household purposes, whilst that for drinking was brought by water-carts from the moor­land springs and wells and sold at a half­penny a bucket. The raintubs, varying in size, of which every house had one, formed a noticeable feature, unsightly perhaps, but very necessary. ."We can scarcely conceive life under these conditions, but they were met very philo­sophically. Then, as now, Barlick folk made the best of things, and with the begin­ning of better times in the cotton trade, the village gradually assumed larger proportions and, the modern amenities of life followed in their, turn." 
A YOUTHFUL POET.
Last, but by no means least, is a poem, called "Our School," the work of Alan Frankland, Standard VI. Our School has stood for fifty years And yet it still goes strong, 'Tis here we mingle fears and fun With tear or smile or song. It's called the Church of England School,And though not very pretty, There's not a more successful one In village, town or city. On games field or in classroom, Our School leads all the rest: At History, Sums and Football We surely are the best. And as the future years roll on, We'll all recall with pride The things the Old School's done for us, 
Transcribed from “The Craven Herald”  Friday, December 29th 1933 1504jct

[Stanley]

Bumped.

[Stanley]

Still an interesting read.I wonder who 'Crabtree' was who sold canes to the teachers?