Page 255 - J Delaney - City of Cessnock Education and Schools

278.

N E A T H S CH0 0 L

During the period from January 1913 to June 1916, many requests were
made to ·the Department of Education for the construction of a full Primary School
at Neath. Finally the situation so developed among the residents and parents
at Neath, that a public meeting on this question was held at Neath on 17th July
1916. The following day Joseph Turner, Secretary of the Neath Progress
Association, wrote to the Education Department advising of a motion that was
carried at this meeting, without a dissenting vote. The advice of the motion
read:-

II That this meeting gives fourteen (14)
days notice to the Minister of Education that as
from 31st July 1916, all citizens of Neath will
send their children, the majority of whom travel
to and from by train to attend the Abermain School,
to the Neath School".

The Education Department replied to the Neath Progress Association
on 30th July 1916, in these terms:-

1. Parents must continue to send their children to the
Abermain Primary School because there is insufficient
staff at Neath School to handle increased numbers.

2. The standard of education at Abermain Primary School
was to be as high in importance as so large a .school
demands.

3. There was to be no change in the rail fare between
Neath and Abermain.

4. An Abermain teacher would be deputed to collect and
see children to trains daily.

On the following day, 31st July 1916, all Neath children attended
at the Neath School. Inspector Finney reported to the Chief Inspector by