EDUCATION IN BLACKPOOL AND DISTRICT III 



3,000 spectators). Special areas in the fine Stanley Park have been prepared 

 for use for organised games by the schools. Negotiations are now in progress 

 for the purchase of additional playing fields. 



A fine medical and dental clinic has been erected, and with its efficient 

 medical and nursing staff, and its two full-time dental surgeons with attendants, 

 the health of those who on medical inspection show need of preventative or 

 ameliorative treatment, receives highly skilled attention. 



After the Hadow Report was issued, the Lancashire Education Committee 

 began to deal with the reorganisation of their elementary schools, and recently 

 two new Senior Schools have been opened in their area, so that the elementary 

 schools of Fleetwood, Thornton Cleveleys and Poulton are now re-organised 

 as well as the Blackpool schools. 



Secondary Schools. 



As the 1902 Education Act gave local education authorities for higher 

 education power to provide Secondary Schools, on 1st October, 1904, the date 

 on which Blackpool became a county borough, the foundation stone was laid 

 for a Secondary School (now the Blackpool Grammar School), which provided 

 a sound secondary education for pupils from Fleetwood, Cleveleys, Lytham 

 and St. Annes, as well as for Blackpool pupils. 



In 1921 , I became rather perturbed at the waste of time and mental energy 

 of the growing number of pupils who travelled night and morning from 

 Fleetwood to this school, and thought it would be far more advantageous for 

 these pupils if there were a Secondary School at Fleetwood. I discussed the 

 question with the Chairman of the Governors of the Blackpool School, and he 

 agreed with me. As a result, we arranged a meeting with the then Chairman 

 of the Lancashire Education Committee and the Director of Education for 

 Lancashire to discuss the matter. The Lancashire representatives were of 

 opinion that the time was not opportune, and, further, were of opinion that 

 there would not be sufficient pupils in Fleetwood to support a school. 



However, being anxious for the pupils who had to travel, and believing 

 that the supply would create the demand, we insisted on the provision of a 

 school at Fleetwood, and to ensure this we stated definitely that in 1 8 months' 

 time Fleetwood pupils would be excluded from the Blackpool school. They 

 then agreed to recommend that the Lancashire Education Committee erect 

 a Secondary School in Fleetwood. In order to assist them as regards numbers, 

 we agreed that after the Fleetwood School was opened, we would not admit 

 any pupils to the Blackpool Secondary School from any part of the county 

 area north of Blackpool. As a result of this, the Fleetwood Grammar School 

 was erected, and this has proved so successful that considerable enlargements 

 have been necessary. 



It seems rather ironical, after our promise to assist their numbers by refusing 

 admission to the Blackpool School of pupils from the County area, that a few 

 years later, in a committee room of the House of Lords, I heard counsel for 

 the opposition to a proposed extension of the Blackpool boundaries give as a 

 proof that Blackpool did not cater so well for the educational needs of the 

 area proposed to be added to Blackpool as the Fleetwood Grammar School 



