An education chief who was invited to open a new Carlton school back in 1964 launched a verbal attack on parents in attendance who were undermining the work of the education system.
Dr. Cyril Bibby, principal of the Hull Training College, had been invited to open the new Carlton Central school as reported in the South Notts Echo back in June 1964.
Dr Bibby told an audience of parents: “There would soon be objections from parents if schools did not teach honesty, but many send their children to school with a note about absence which is not true.
“Parents would also object if schools did not teach children discipline, but too many parents would not discipline their own children.”
He pointed out that children spent more time under the control of their parents than under their teachers, but whenever anything went wrong there were always some who blamed the schools, he said.
“There are vast numbers of people who gave the children the odd two shilings to keep them quiet on a Saturday afternoon, but they would not give them their Saturday afternoons. A great deal of money is being spent by in parents to buy themselves freedom from their children,” he said.
The new school, which is situated between Carlton Hill and Foxhill Road, was built on the C.L.A.S.P. system at a cost of £57,570.
Dr. Bibby said he did not think this was an excessive sum. Even if it lasted only 20 years, it would cost less than £10 per child per year. He said: “Ratepayers should remember this before grumbling about the amount of rates which is spent on education.”
The school’s headmaster E Lockwood, recalled that he had been in charge of the old school on Burton Road back in November 1961 and it could not safely be used because of mining subsidence.
He said the children and teachers from Carlton Central Primary School had be billeted out to others in the area. Although this had led to difficulties, there was never complaints from any of the hosts.
“We now hope to widen the work that has gone and we are hoping that with the co-operation of the parents we will be make full use of the facilities we have here,” he added.
After the opening ceremony the parents were invited to look around the new school.
It catered for 320 children in eight classes. In addition it has an assembly hall, craft space, kitchen, dining area, music rooms and music covered play area.
