In this issue, Eric Hotblack discusses the role of the
GUNTHORPE
SCHOOL MANAGER
News
The Education Act of 1902, known as ‘the Balfour Act’ after its sponsor, set up a system of local school administration. Following this Act the parish council was able to appoint a school manager. This does not mean one individual person to manage the village school, but rather a board of managers. The first appointment was Mr George Wells in 1903, but on leaving the area, he was replaced in 1904 by Mr George Davidson. The appointments were made for three-year terms, Mr John Yull serving three terms until 1919 when Mrs Violet Nelson was appointed in addition. The following term records, ‘Mrs Nelson appointed as school manager for vacancy filled by parish council’. This implies that other parishioners of Field Dalling were school managers in addition to those appointed by the parish council. Mrs Nelson served for a total of seven terms, her final term with another parishioner, Mr E Page. Perhaps there were two because Field Dalling and Saxlingham were now combined into one parish. Since some of the children of Bale also attended Field Dalling School, did Bale also appoint a school manager? The first reference in the parish council minutes to the work done by school managers occurs in 1937, when, ‘the clerk was instructed to write to chairman of school managers asking if transport could not be arranged for children attending Melton Constable Central School.’ Clearly the school manager’s job extended beyond the village school. There is no record of the three-year appointments being made through the war years, but the system seems to have revived in 1947, ‘Norfolk education committee having asked council to appoint two new managers’, Mr P Savory and Mr R Massingham. In 1948 ‘the clerk was instructed to write a strong letter to Mr Bell to get the information required to enable the school managers to attend to urgent business’. Following this there is mention of two school managers serving three-year terms, but selected or elected rather than appointed as in the early years. The final reference is in 1960.
Contact: Di Cutterham 01263 860693
For Church Services see Panel on Page 3 HARVEST FESTIVAL This will be at St Mary’s, Gunthorpe, on Sunday, Doreen Webster September 24th at 11.00 am.
THE HARVEST SUPPER The Friends of Gunthorpe Parish Church will be holding the Harvest Supper on Saturday 28th October in the Village Institute and everyone is welcome. Although not quite finalised, the menu will include 'Gunthorpe Sausages', which will be specially made to our exact requirements! Recipe suggestions for the sausage are invited and we look forward to receiving them with great interest...the best recipe will be given to Paul and Simon at P & S Butchers in Holt and they will make the sausages for especially for us Gunthorpians (and our friends). The tickets will be the same price as last year at £6 and soft drinks and a glass of wine is included in the price.
FOGPC SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions for the Friends are now due and I will be round collecting them as soon as time allows. In the meantime, if anyone is passing and would like to, please feel free to drop your subs into White Horse Farm. Still unchanged for 13 years, we ask for a minimum donation of £5 which will go directly to repair and maintain St Mary's. For those members who paid by cheque at the AGM - could you get in touch with me as mummy's dog Molly has eaten them and replacements are now sought!!! D.C.
E. & M. Grimes
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