SCHOOL HISTORY

In my first perusal of this document I stated that every teacher I remembered from school had some comment written about them – with the exception of Cyril Bond – or Dickey as he was known to his students. Well, I have to report that, following an exhaustive search of this large dossier, he still hasn’t surfaced. Perhaps he never existed. Maybe he was just a figment of our imagination.

File T156/314 is built around a series of meetings of the Jarrow Central School Board of Governors. These were held on a monthly basis and the committee was comprised of members of Durham County Council. The main item of interest in the document is usually the HEADMASTERS REPORT. This appears in his own handwriting after each meeting. On July 19th 1955 Mr Rees gave his report as normal – and apparently fell off this planet! Previously, whenever a member of staff was sick, or transferred, or retired, this was always reported in the monthly minutes. Mr Reece seems to have joined Dickey Bond. He disappeared without trace or further mention. Subsequent meetings refer to the appointment of a new headmaster but give no account as to what happened to the previous incumbent in the post. No vote of thanks, or get well wishes or obituary. Just “Next Please” and come in Mr Dean.

A meeting of 23^rd March 1959 approved the use of a room by Mr Troupe in aid of the Jarrow Recorder Club.

A Special Meeting of the Governors was convened 27^th May 1959 to interview applicants for the post of Deputy Head. Four candidates were considered and the votes were as follows.

This appointment brought the following response at the next meeting of the Governors.

“The divisional officer reported verbally on the correspondence with the director arising from the receipt by the director of a letter from Mr PA Casey (a qualified Assistant Teacher on staff), protesting against the said appointment”

Me-thinks thou didst protest too much, Patrick – You should have had a word with Mr Ramsay who seems to have had little or no difficulty in becoming Assistant this or Deputy that, - whenever he felt like it. He (Mr Ramsay) retired 16^th July after 34 years – whilst, would you believe it, in the post of Assistant Head Teacher!

At a meeting dated 3^rd March 1949, praises were heaped upon two former students who had left the school some time earlier. The report does not qualify just what they had achieved but it certainly must have been something special. Come in STANLEY DRYDEN and PETER KENNEDY, wherever you are, and tell us of your success.

Lance

Following on from my extracts from the 1950 HM Inspectors Report, Surely 'The Hutton Report' of its day, George has made a further study of file T156/314 and given us the following observations from the aforementioned dodgy dossier:-

Lance

Whilst I could not remove the report T156/314 from the museum - (I did try) However, I took the opportunity to browse these documents and perhaps you might like to add these notes to your splendid article on a similar subject. I also managed to look at a map showing the school in 1895. Perhaps you would find this interesting as you will be able to make comparisons with today. It shows HEBBURN HOUSE at approximately where Franchie's chip shop is / was. Also CLEGWELL HOUSE (where you would expect it to be) Another mansion is shown as HEBBURN RED HOUSE near where the lakes were. If you think it worthwhile, I can get a copy of this for you.

Observations:

Pat Casey was NOT first choice for the job. We nearly didn't have him!

In June 1948 the school advertised for an assistant history teacher. Pat Casey was one of four applicants. A certain Mr A E Pratton was appointed but because of the housing shortages in the area he was unable to take up the post. Pat Casey, as first reserve, was appointed in his place.

In 1947, Considerations were being made to give JCS equal status with Jarrow Grammar School as this school could not offer an adequate number of places. As JCS lacked suitable amenities and always had staffing problems, this did not happen. Further considerations were then given to building a new grammar school at Heworth.

1950 studies showed that pupils who passed for JCS had higher average qualifying results than pupils elsewhere in the country who passed for Grammar Schools.

These notes describe a LIBRARY containing over 800 books Some of the books were in the storeroom - wherever that was.

Mr Overton left JCS In March 1953 to become headmaster of a school at Simonside. (incidentally, when he started the school it was as a maths and physical education teacher)

Police were called to a robbery which took place during the 1957 speech night. The following items were stolen.

£3 : 17 : 6

2 Candlesticks

1 Fountain Pen

1 Ash tray

They were never recovered.

A curious item is contained within the headmasters report for July 1956. In this, Mr Reece writes of :-

"A most unfortunate occurrence which took place at the summer school camp involving three boys" ........??????

Another item by the same headmaster states "Mrs Furlong has had her salary cut by half without explanation" He goes on to write. "She has expressed extreme dissatisfaction" .................I bet she did.

The notes refer to many teachers as there seemed to be a very high turnover. However, nowhere in this large volume of documents could I find any mention of Mr Bond. Now there's something to ponder over.

Most of the teachers were deputy head at some time or another. Mr Ramsay seems to have been deputy everything throughout his time at JCS without ever having any specific role to play in the day to day operations.

The drill hall ceased to be used by the school in the 1960s the owners having refused to allow ball games to take place.

Many unsuccessful attempts were made over the decades to persuade the local authorities to convert the land between the school and Black Road into a sports field. These applications always fell on deaf ears which is unfortunate as I can remember one game of football being held up whilst a young mother wheeled her baby's pushchair diagonally across the park on which it was being played.

Editors Comment.

Whilst I was glancing through T156/314, I came across a reference to a school magazine called, 'THE OAK TREE'. I wonder if any one can remember it or even still has a copy. It was published in the early 1960's.

Lance

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HM INSPECTORS REPORT.

JARROW CENTRAL SCHOOL 25/26/27th APRIL 1950

The classrooms are dull and characterless.

Housecraft and metalwork classes are using obsolete equipment.

Classrooms would benefit from re-decorating. The walls are dirty and they are institutionalised by the white tiling.

The art room is especially lacking in aesthetic appeal.

Electrical fittings are either inadequate or defective. In the hall they are particularly unsuitable and prone to damage during physical education lessons.

The library is cheerless and cold. Several of the cabinets have broken glass. Most of the reference books are out of date.

When the washbasins in the girl's cloaks are in use the supply of water in the boy's cloaks is inadequate or non-existent.

Neither cloakroom has hot water.

The girl's toilets had a broken chain and there were no facilities for the needs of the senior girls.

The boy's toilets were dirty and waterlogged. One cistern was leaking.

There have been 17 changes of staff since 1946.

The boys play football in the park but there is no cricket pitch.

An approximation of the game is played in the playground.

The inspectors were impressed by the keenness and industry of the boys and girls and noticed with pleasure their politeness and courtesy.

It must be pointed out that many of the criticisms made were also made on our last visit in 1935 and have not been implemented.

The above extract is from the Jarrow Central School Records held among the Tyne and Wear Archives at Blandford House, Newcastle. They are available for viewing on request. Ref. Number T156/314. I hope to be able to add further snippets from this and other documents on future visits.

Lance Liddle (Editor)

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