Clitheroe Advertiser and Times


EDITORIAL..............TEL. CLITHEROE 22324 ADVERTISING.........TEL. CLITHEROE 22323 CLASSIFIED.................TEL. BURNLEY22331


THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1st, 1983 No. 5,070 Price 19p


VILLAGE schools are central to the life of any lo c a l c om ­ munities and money should be made avail­ able to keep them open, says a report from the Community Council o f Lanca­ shire.


eve o f Lancashire County Council’s de­ cision on the future of Ribble Valley Prim­ ary Schools the report makes five recommen­ dations:


Published on the ® There are out­


standing advantages in the village school as well as disadvan­


tages. O Ways should be


found of building on these advantages and mitigating the disad­ vantages — for exam- ple fe d e ra t ion o f schools, peripatetic teachers, advisory ser­


vices. etc. O Attention should


be given to the village school’s social role.


O The extra cost of


village schools should be met.


J Village services


need to be improved, not eroded further.


In a report entitled “The case for village


sch o o ls in Lanca­ shire” the council says that the extra cost of village schools is a small price to pay to preserve village life.


would result in a weakening of village life which, in turn, could do p o s it iv e harm to society as a whole.


A decline in schools S in c e 1967 the


county council had closed 22 village prim­ ary schools and the report discounts the argument of closure


because o f falling


rolls. “ In Lancashire the


birth rate has been rising between 1976


and 1981 which will bring proportionately more children on to school rolls in the next five years than has been the case in the previous five-year period,” states the report.


County names four schools for closure


Mind the flak


FOR the next three nights this Calder- stones tin-hat brigade will he recalling the songs of World War II. They are taking part


in the Revue and Dramatic S o c ie ty ’ s latest production “Cur­ tain Up” which opens tonight in the hospital theatre. Hitting it from the


top are, Brian H aw o r th , Graham


Kindle, Terry Dilworth. J e f f Makinson, Ian


Broaker and Matthew


Cox. They will also be c o n t r ib u t in g Co le


Porter numbers and


operatic songs. Also in the show are


16 children who will be performing songs from “Oliver” , “ Rosemarie” and “No, no, Nanette” . Tickets are still av­


ailable for all three performances. On Monday the socie­


ty starts rehearsals for “Joseph and the Amaz- i ng T e c h n ic o lo r Dream Coat” , to be given in December. Anyone, o f any age, wishing to take pari should go to the hospi­ tal theatre at 7-30 p.m. on Monday.


But villagers not giving up fight


__^ ■


PARENTS and teachers this week pledged to continue the fight to save Downham, Grindleton and Hurst Green CE and Ribchester RC primary _ schools, recommended for closure next summer by Lancashire County Council The recommendations,


Lord Clitheroe said


made on Tuesday by the Schools Sub-Committee, mean a reprieve for three other schools — Chatburn CE, Wiswell-Barrow and Balderstone CE — which had been earmarked for possible closure. Parents, teachers and


governors were out in force at County Hall to hear the result of their seven-month fight against


the original closure sug­ gestions.


Consultation The sub-committee had


before it a 72-page report setting out the various op­ tions with details of cur­ rent and projected school rolls. In the consultation pro­


Alternatives up for


discussion


BEFORE the recom­ mendations — de­ signed to reduce 1,300 surplus school places in the Ribble Valley — go before the Edu­ cation Committee on September 20th, the County will meet the Bradford Diocesan Board of Education to discuss alternatives to closure. Among the alterna­


cess, which started in January, the county re­ ceived over 500 letters op­ posing closures and nine expressing a range of other views. Numerous bodies were also consulted and various public meet­ ings held. Downham villagers


reacted angrily at the move to close their school. Said the Vicar, the Rev. Eric Chard, who is a school governor: “The effect of the proposal is vandalism as far as village


life is concerned.” Mr Chard, who criti­


cised the sub-committee for discussing only school places, not children, said the villagers were now preparing to plead with Education Secretary Sir Keith Joseph to save their


school. “This is a question of


there had been a school at Downham for hundreds of years. It was originally endowed by his ancestors and given as a school. The building belonged


to the trustees, of which he was one, and did not belong to the county, so they could not sell it. For the children in the


village to have to leave it to go to a school else­ where would be a great hardship on them and their parents, and bad for village life. A lot of things hap­


pened in the school as well as education and it was very much a part of


tives are a joint de­ nominational school at Hurst Green, and a cluster system involv­ ing Downham, Grind­ leton and Chatburn. This would have one headmaster, with all the original school buildings being kept in use.


town people trying to run country people’s lives and


I do not think they have a clue,” he added. “ I am bound to say that this looks like a political deci­ sion.”


Excellent In putting their case for


its retention, the Dow­ nham governors pointed out that the academic record was excellent and said that without the school the village would begin to die.


Praise for report


THE Rev. David Wood- house, chairman of the Ribble Valley Church Schools’ Association, one of the leading pressure groups against closure, praised the county for producing such a “posi­ tive and constructive


report." He had been heartened


in many ivays and felt that more investigations could yet save the schools. He said: “I think the


there to serve them." Mr Woodhouse, who is


Rector o f St James’s Church, Clitheroe, said he ivas sown/ about Grindle­ ton and Doumham. “But this is just the


first round, obviously. “We need, to look much


more carefully into the cost of transporting chil­ dren and the dangers and


difficulties of that from those two villages, espe­ cially from the outlying


positive proposals for un- iting the Roman Catholic and Anglican Schools in Hurst Green and Ribches­ ter are very heartening indeed, and / urge that all the details are ivorked out very quickly. “New ideas take a while


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to come to the surface and gain acceptance. We are in the early stages of this happening and I think ive need to look more to com­ munities than, perhaps to our own church altitudes and realise that people are people and we are


farms. “I ivould hope that on


further investigation these two schools can be saved,


particularly if there are other classroom areas that can be taken out of schools that are over provided. “We should be grateful


that only 25 per cent of the Ribble Valley's sur­ plus places have been taken out, instead of 40 per c ent. Tivo more schools could quite easily have been closed,’’ he said.


MANY a young lad’s dream came true when Clitheroe Fire Station opened its doors to about 250 people on Sunday.


For 13-year-old Keith


Morris (left) and 10-year- old Gordon Erskine (kneeling), of Chatburn Road, it meant a chance


to don firemen’s tunics and “handle” a hose.


Among the other high­


lights of the open day were a look at Yan emergency tender used in road accidents, with its special equipment of as­ bestos suits and acetylene cutting gear.


■ The open day raised


about £200 for the Nation­ al Benevolent Fund sup­ p o r tin g f ire se rv ice widows and orphans.


Also" featured at the


event was a demonstra­ tion by the police accident unit, a “treasure hunt” and book and cake stalls, with home baking by the firemen’s wives.


village heritage. Grindleton school gov­


ernor Mrs Carol Pye said after the meeting that she was extremely disap­ pointed at the outcome. “ It’s a bit difficult to


understand, because the school is such a going con­ cern,” she said. “The building is in good


condition and will not need much maintenance in the near future. If it was old, I could understand the point of view.” Mrs Susan Dugdale,


© continued on page 11


Plea for farm


children THERE was a call for special consideration to be given to rural schools during the sub-committee debate on the closure proposals. Coun. Michael Fitzher-


bert-Brockholes said that the main argument jus­ tifying the closure of a small school was whether it was educationally


viable. “ These schools are


doing an extremely good job and they should have some special consideration when it comes to the question of finance,” he said. “This authority has to


A new way to improve water supply


RESIDENTS in the Pim­ lico area of Clitheroe face disruption to their water supply over the next 14 weeks while improvement work is carried out to mains. But a North-West


make up its mind whether it is prepared to spend that extra bit of money to allow these schools to con­ tinue.” Coun. Fitzherbert-Broc-


kholes also called for talks leading to joint denomina­ tional schools at Hurst Green and Ribchester. “ There is enormous


support for this' in the communities. People in these parishes should put pressure on the churches if they wish to retain


their schools.” Coun. John Watson said


he could not understand why the three schools were to close. He de­ scribed Grindleton as a “super little school” and pointed out that many children attending Grind­ leton and Downham lived on farms.- “It’s important to retain


them for the sake of farm children alone,” he said


Water Authority spokes­ man said yesterday that plenty of advance warning of shut-offs would be given and inconvenience would be cut to a minimum. Work will start on


Monday using a new technique which has cost several million pounds to develop. “The system will elimi­


nate the need to dig up long stretches of road causing disruption to traf­


fic,” said the spokesman. “Holes will be dug at


100-metre intervals and a power - driven arrowhead


will be sent up the water main to clear away sedi­


ment. “A special machine will


then be inserted into the pipe which will line it with quick drying cement.” Around 3,000 metres of water main bringing sup


plies from Lowcocks re servoir, near Grindleton, are to be treated by the authority.


Hold-up at fire station


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Susan makes it a family affair


WHEN it comes to gain­ ing Scout and Guide awards, the Turner family, of York Street, Clitheroe, takes some beating. By qualifying for the


Queen’s Guide Badge, 15- year-old Susan has caught up with her brother and sister. Susan is a member of


SS Michael and John’s 4th Clitheroe Guides, in which her sister Wendy (17) gained the Queen’s badge two years ago. Their brother, Andrew (13), qualified for his Chief Scout’s Award with the Loyola pack three months ago.


HAVING a lovely time, tvisli you were here. That was the message from Gisburn and Grindleton Brow­ nies at camp at West Marton Village Hall. The 20 Brownies cer­


tainly had. a fu n - packed time. The prog­ ramme included a nature trail walk, badge work, visiting Skipton, a canal trip, making presents to take home, their own church, service, a con­ c e r t and pla y ing rounders. With them were Gis-


bum Brown Owl Mrs Ann Wilson and her d a ug h t e r , Sarah, Grindleton Brown Owl Mrs Margaret Hogg and her daughter Jen­ nifer, and Miss Mary Bairstow.


Dad and mum, too, are connected with the un­


iformed organisations. Mr J ohn Turner is secret­


ary of fund-raising for the SS Michael and John’s p-oup and his wife, Carol, iclps him out. Susan (15) carried out


FLATS


A PLAN to convert the dwelling at 64 Waterloo Road, Clitheroe, into four


numerous activities to qualify for the Queen’s award. These included gaining


the Commonwealth badge, helping with the Brownies for her service flash and gaining the patrol camp permit. She also qualified for the toy makers, campers and first aid badges. In her spare time,


Susan, a pupil of St Au­ gustine’s RC High School, Billington, enjoys ballet, tap dancing and netball.


Pets on parade at the Castle


A COMPETITION to find the most unusual pet is among the attractions at Clitheroe Castle Fete on Saturday. Area youth worker Mr


self-contained flats has been approved by the Ribble Valley Council’s Development Sub-Com­ mittee on condition that four car parking spaces are provided before the flats are occupied.


fg,---------TH IS B E LO N G S TLFT /


The ladies beat men in raft race


WHEN it comes to the specialised sport o f raft


racing, Clitheroe Ladies’ C i r c le c o u ld c e r ta in ly


teach their husbands in the Round Table a thing or two.


For in the Poulton-le-


Fylde Round Table raft race on Sunday, the Clitheroe ladies finished first in a field of about 60, and the men were third.


The theme for the rafts


in the two-mile race on the River Wyre was TV commercials. The ladies — who also won the race last year — went as Cosifit nappies, and the men chose Paxo Rooster Booster. In the ladies’ team were Barbara Barker, Dorothy Hep worth, Kathleen Eastwood, Anne Connell and Joan Houldsworth.


Lining up for the men


were John Lazenby, Barry Lancaster, Tony Spencer, Miles Leadbea- ter and Bill Barker.


Last year the race raised £2,000 for charity.


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Geoff Jackson, one of the fete organisers is hoping for a couple of dozen en­ tries. “Some youngsters have amazing interests,”


he said. The fete is being organ­


ised by Trinity Youth and Community Centre, which hopes to raise around £500 towards the cost of major extensions to the building. It will be opened at 1


p.m. by the Ribble Valley Mayor and Mayoress


Coun. and Mrs Ted Boden New activities include a


tug-of-war and egg-throw­


ing contests. Also on the programme are five-a-side soccer, a “mini-marathon” open to all-comers, junior seven-a-side netball, a de­ monstration by Trinity Judo Club, children’s sports and fancy-dress contests. Twenty local charitable


organisations will be man­ ning stalls.


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