Forward to Genesis

The background to the opening of the school was well documented and, fortunately, a lot of that material has survived as I discovered when recently I spent an informative hour in South Shields Library; trawling through some back issues of The Jarrow Express, a long defunct local paper.  They have been preserved on microfilm and make fascinating reading albeit, because of the lack of graphics, they're not an easy read.

There are no headlines as we know them today, the front page being totally devoted to adverts. 

I was particularly interested in The Jarrow Express for the year 1886.

It was the year when May Day became recognised as the official birthday of the Labour Reform Movement.  This happened in Chicago but recognition quickly spread worldwide. In unrelated events, Lord Salisbury's government resigned and Arsenal Football Club was formed.

 These were but a few of the news stories that were mentioned in the national press during the early part of that year.  However for the editor, and the readers, of The Jarrow Express, the topic of the day was the building of a new school next to the existing Grange School.

In one of my previous articles, 'In The Beginning', I made reference to the Higher Grade School, as JCS was first known, being built in the face of severe opposition.  I only discovered how severe that opposition was when I delved back into the newspaper's archives.

 For a period of almost six months the subject of the new school occupied the editorials, the reader's letters, and the general articles, almost to the subjugation of everything else.  A typical by-line was, 'Is The New School Necessary?'

Reading the arguments against the building of the school has made me realise how lucky we were.  Lucky, not because we were able to go to JCS; but lucky to have had a JCS for us to go to, all those years later!

There were accusations of vote rigging, and references were made to, wait for it, 'Manipulative Cliques.'  I'm tempted to remark that nothing changes in local government.

It was said the cost of the, unnecessary, new school would place an intolerable burden on the ratepayers and that it would be pandering to the middle-class sector of society.

 It has to be said that the Victorians, unlike their Queen, were often amused and frequent reports of laughter echoing through the corridors of power were noted as the future of the school was debated.

Their eloquence was a glorious reminder of a distant, bygone age.

Replying to a Mr.Poskett, via the readers letter's page of The Jarrow Express, a member of The Board, W.Robinson, thundered, "Ye Gods and Little Fishes - who is this mighty man?"  Mr Robinson continued by, referring to Mr.Poskett's, 'Imperious Epistle' - surely he was the Archie Campbell of his day!

Even when the decision to go ahead with the school was taken it was not without further deep discussion; particularly when it came to naming the school.

"I propose naming it, 'The Grange Senior School'."

This was countered with, "I propose naming it 'The Grange Higher Grade School'."

A third hat was thrown in the ring by someone who suggested calling it, 'The Jarrow Higher Grade School'.

Board member number four said, "Why not, 'The Higher Grade School'?"

This was pooh-poohed by number three who said, "Higher Grade School of where - Gateshead?"

However, when it came to the vote, board member number four won the day and it became The Higher Grade School. It was called The Higher Grade until 1922 when it became Jarrow Central Council School.

 It now only remained for a headmaster to be appointed. The front runner was the headmaster of the adjoining Grange Junior School, John A.Witter.  As well as being an experienced headmaster, Mr.Witter was also an accomplished artist; as can be seen by the painting, below, of the Grange School. 

Who knows if John Witter had been given the job he might have done a painting of JCS.  For all we know he may still have done and it is lying in an attic somewhere.  However we will probably never know. He wasn't given the post, the authorities kept him at The Grange, and the honour of being JCS's first headmaster went to William Martin, formerly of Stanhope Road School in South Shields.