Skerton Bridge, Lancaster
Maxine Armstrong
Skerton Council School Mixed Department was a primary school opened in 1891. In 1934 it split into the Junior School and the new Skerton Central School. There were 479 children on the roll in 1919. Though clearly involved with the Lancaster League of Nations Union (LNU), reference to it in the school logbooks was dependent on the headteacher, who primarily recorded staff changes, attendance and school inspections. In July 1919, pupils celebrated the Signing of the Peace. Like pupils at Dallas Road School, they received a medal and sixpence, marched to Lancaster Town Hall and sang hymns at the service of Thanksgiving in Dalton Square. The school received the proceedings of The British Association’s Committee on the Teaching of Citizenship, in November 1921, and noted that ‘it contains a full account of our Prefect system as it existed last year.’
Two members of the Women Citizens’ Association, Morecambe, visited the next year to study the prefect system and the scheme of constitutional government. No further details are given. The school first mentions LNU lectures in 1922 and in 1930 Mr Hayes lectured on the League to the senior children. The following year Mr H. Walton Starkey gave an LNU lecture. On both occasions, Councillor Mrs Dowbiggin, Secretary of the local LNU, attended. Pupils attended the League of Nations Film Exhibition in 1932.
References/Further Reading:
Skerton Council School Mixed Dept. Logbooks, 1900-1926 and 1926-34. Archive refs: SMQ/19/103 and SMQ/19/104, Lancashire Archives.