The Fernhurst Society
Tales from the Archives - 62
Parents FACE staff cuts
FACE the facts. That was the slogan of the Fernhurst Action Campaign for Education in May 1978 when the primary school was faced with the hours of one of the teachers being reduced from full time to three days a week. This followed on from the two lower infants classes being amalgamated just six months before. Although pupil numbers were slightly down, parents felt it placed too much of a burden on the headmaster Mr Arthur Cocker and remaining staff and were determined to do something about it.
An action group was formed and the local MP, Mr Anthony Nelson, Mrs Shirley Williams MP, Mrs Mary Lochner (WSCC Representative) and Fernhurst Parish Council were approached for support. A petition, to be handed to the County Education Chairman, Mr K Ball was organised and signatures were collected. There was much local press coverage and a telephone campaign was also launched. At an open meeting in the school some weeks later it was a victory for FACE with WSCC Education Committee agreeing that the Parish Council could fund the £2,200 necessary to maintain the status quo.
If you would like to know more about this story, or research other local topics, the Archive is open on Tuesdays, 2.30-5pm in the Village Hall. Other times by arrangement.
Christine Maynard
Fernhurst ArchiveOne of a series of short articles bringing you some of the incidents from our rich village history. Collated by Christine Maynard, based on documents preserved at the Fernhurst Archives, these originally were published in the monthly Fernhurst News.
The Fernhurst Archives
Fernhurst History
