Skegness Magazine

SCHOOL FOR BACKWARD CHILDREN
EDUCATION COMMITTEE TO BUY SEACROFT PREMISES

AN important decision was taken by the Lindsey Education on Friday, when it was
unanimously decided to purchase the Seacroft Preparatory School at Skegness, as a school for 50 backward children.

After the decision had been taken, the Clerk to the County Council, Mr. A. N. Scorer, turning to the Press representatives, asked them not to paint too alarming a picture about the proposal, and not to give the people of Skegness the impression that a horde of wild and turbulent children would be brought into the town and would destroy the amenities of the popular seaside resort.
“The children who are to be sent to Skegness,” added Mr. Scorer, merely are backward children
who cannot be efficiently looked after and properly educated in the ,ordinary school’s in Lindsey.”‘
Mr. Scorer in introducing the proposal, said that the District Valuer had valued the premises and land at £6,000. The redemption will add another £3,000 to the purchase price, making a total of £9,000. Unfortunately, there was a provision in the deeds that the buildings should only be used as a preparatory school. In the event of the negotiations with the Education Committee going through the vendors were prepared at their own expense to go to the High Court and ask permission for the covenant to be varied so that it could be used for the purposes which the Lindsey authorities desired.

If the sanction of the High Court was not given, the negotiations for the acquisition of the school would automatically terminate. The Court would have to be satisfied that the establishment of a school for backward children would not be detrimental to the amenities of the area.
Coun. West (Skegness): We ought to instruct the Clerk to the County Council to at once proceed with negotiations for the purchase of the buildings and land.
“An Alderman of the County Council had said that there would be fierce opposition on the part of the residents of Seacroft to the establishment of the school.
“I think the residents are under a misapprehension as to the character of the proposed school,” added Coun. West.
“If they really understood what was meant by a ’school for backward children’ the opposition would not be as fierce as it is at present. The terms of purchase which have been agreed on are reasonable from the point of view of the Lindsey Education authority. We recently had a debate at the County Council on the illiteracy of children in Lindsey, but I am convinced that apart from a certain number of children being unable to attend school owing to illness and causes there is very little illiteracy in Lindsey. It was to deal with these children that they proposed to start this School, but I warn the Council that if we carry out this scheme we are only touching the fringe of the question: I move that we proceed as quickly as possible.”

The Director of Education pointed out that it was necessary to provide specialised education for sub-normal children who were at present in the ordinary elementary schools.
A member pointed out that some of the children were at present in the Horncastle Schools, and the sooner the scheme was proceeded with the better it would be for the county.
Another member pointed out that only one per cent, of the children in the county required specialized training.

NOT DETRIMENTAL
Court, Everett urged that it was very desirable to proceed with the scheme at once. A school of this type was simply a hospital, and he could not see that it would be any detriment to the amenities of Skegness, It would be very disappointing if the protests of a few people were to prevent the scheme being carried to fruition.