,transcribed from the #aiae ,national ,labour ,press ,ltd4 edition by ,david ,price1 email ccx#jgdpglaf4org ,picture3 ,public domain book cover ,,price ,,one ,,penny4 ,the ,burston ,school ,strike 99 99 99 99 99 ,by 8,,casey0 7of ,,the ,,labour ,,leader74 ,picture3 ,decorative graphic ,this little booklet is dedicated to the ,,brave ,,women ,,of ,,burston1 who have since ,april1 #aiad1 nobly struggled against the tyranny of the ,countryside4 ,,preface4 8,to understand the things that are at our door is the best preparation for understanding those that lie beyond40--,,hypatia4 ,in this sentence the ,reverend ,charles ,kingsley carries forward the message left by ,aristotle4 ,when preparing to write this little booklet ,i was greatly impressed with the above words4 ,no more fitting motto could ,i find for it1 since it deals with the tyranny of our own country side4 ,it is a challenge to autocracy1 a protest against injustice and a warning signal to the teaching profession4 ,it shows how a simple1 moral1 ,god-fearing little community may be roused into action against parochial busybodies and local glebe lords4 ,the squire and the rector have been the ,lord ,high ,tololorums of the countryside for centuries4 ,to dispute their divine authority1 or to question their insolence1 oft means social ostracism1 or a tour abroad without a ,cook's guide4 ,emigration returns will prove this4 ,the people of ,burston1 in ,norfolk1 are deeply religious and law-abiding4 ,the reverend rector has1 however1 gone too far4 ,their struggle against him for fifteen months1 their brave devotion and loyalty to their teachers1 is almost without parallel in the history of ,nonconformity4 ,they have seceded from the ,church1 their children have voluntarily left the ,council ,school1 and the parents1 though fined again and again1 have successfully defied that poor man's ,dragon of ,wantley--the ,law4 ,the struggle is not yet concluded1 and ,heaven knows where and how it will end4 ,the reverend rector finding teachers1 parents1 and children still true to each other1 has issued notices to quit at ,michaelmas1 next ,september4 ,not succeeding from the religious point of view1 he is now about to try his luck as landowner4 ,by means of these glebe notices he seeks to remove the bravest and best so that he may once more hold the destinies of the villagers in the hollow of his hand4 ,the purpose of this booklet is to focus the clear white light of public opinion upon ,burston4 ,i believe ,i voice the wish of every true woman and man1 every lover of justice and genuine freedom1 when ,i express a hope that he may not succeed4 ,had he brought an atom of brotherly love or the true charity which he quotes on ,sundays1 or sought to crystallise the true spirit of ,christianity into his dealings with his village folk1 then this booklet would have remained unwritten4 ,however1 it may serve a useful purpose if it only shows other reverend rectors what they must avoid4 ,when the teaching profession becomes as wide-awake to its interests as1 say1 the dock labourers1 the miners1 and cotton operatives1 then will its members join their ,union1 loyally co-operate with each other1 and form a linked breakwater against oppression4 ,,the ,,burston ,,school ,,strike4 8,if the history of ,england be ever written by one who has the knowledge and the courage1 and both qualities are equally requisite for the undertaking1 the world would be more astonished than when reading the ,roman annals by ,niebuhr40--,,earl ,,of ,,beaconsfield4 ,burston village lies eighteen miles south of ,norwich4 ,four and a half years ago came to this village as schoolmistress and assistant-master1 ,mrs4 ,a4 ,k4 ,higdon1 and her husband1 ,t4 ,g4 ,higdon4 ,they were welcomed to the ,council ,school by friends1 parishioners1 etc4 ,they gained the affection of the scholars1 the approval of the parents1 and the blessing of ,his ,majesty's ,inspector4 ,here it is3 ,the ,government ,report1 ,october #aath1 #aiab4 ,the present mistress has had charge of the school a little over a year and a half1 and its condition is very promising4 ,a good tone prevails2 the scholars take a pride in their work1 and the work done in some of the subjects of instruction is very creditable4 ,mental arithmetic is well above the average1 and the written arithmetic of the first class is generally praiseworthy4 ,the singing and much of the drawing are good1 and needlework is taught on sensible lines4 ,on the whole the infants and first-class children are making more progress than the scholars in the middle portion of the school4 7,signed7 ,a4 ,h4 ,,moore1 ,h4,m4,i4 ,this is the last ,government report under the ,higdons' rgime4 ,mr4 ,t4 ,g4 ,higdon1 the assistant-master1 possesses that dreadful modern incumbrance1 a heart4 ,the ,daily ,press oft contains an advertisement stating that 8,hands are wanted10 but if they were to issue an advertisement re 8,hearts10 the precedent might prove disastrous to most firms4 ,higdon1 looking upon the countryside with the eye of a person married to it1 held high hopes of betterment4 ,he could not help observing the long hours of toil1 the scant incomes1 the over-crowding1 etc41 which that noble soul1 the ,reverend ,charles ,kingsley1 pictures in 8,yeast40 ,higdon1 after his day's teaching1 tramped the country lanes1 and made first-hand acquaintance with the joys and sorrows1 aspirations and hopes of ,hodge and his helpmate4 ,he spoke words of healing and helpfulness to the ,lazarus of civilisation1 ,carlyle's ,dumdrudge1 and our poor country cousins4 ,he saw lean labour1 wrinkled1 seamed and scarred by grinding toil1 privation1 self-denial1 and short commons2 so1 ,john ,ball-like1 he carried the message both on ,sundays and weekdays4 ,unfortunately1 he did not attend the local ,sunday services4 ,unlike ,longfellow's blacksmith1 he did not go on ,sundays to the church to hear his daughter's voice4 ,one reason was that he had no daughter which1 of course1 makes a deal of difference1 the other reason was that he preached himself4 ,you require to be a very strong clergyman indeed to permit competition in well-doing4 ,at any rate1 the rector spoke to ,higdon about his non-attendance at church4 ,a ,,few ,,words ,,about ,,this ,,rector4 ,the ,rector of ,burston1 ,reverend ,charles ,tucker ,eland1 was appointed to the living about a month after the ,higdons took charge of the ,council ,school4 ,his stipend is #die per annum1 with rectory house1 and fifty-four acres of glebe land producing #hf yearly 7according to ,crockford74 ,the village numbers #cae souls1 three of whom1 according to latest information1 attended service upon a recent ,sunday4 ,under these circumstances one may sympathise with his desire to annex a congregation4 ,higdon was cautioned1 ,i suppose1 in a friendly 7half-joke-real-earnest7 manner4 ,he is very much opposed1 however1 to private property in ,sundays4 ,the ,reverend ,charles suggested that it might be prejudicial to the school1 etc41 if the teacher stayed away4 ,kings in the past have threatened dire penalties for non-attendance at church1 but when people attend church simply because the schoolmistress1 the wealthy farmer1 or the large employer puts in an appearance1 then they show little respect or love for ,divine teaching4 ,attendance should be a matter of choice1 not compulsion4 ,timothy ,sparks1 who later attained world-wide celebrity by using his real name1 ,charles ,dickens1 issued a quaint little book upon this subject1 entitled 8,sunday under ,three ,heads40 ,robert ,kett1 ,norfolk rebel1 suggested in #aedi 8that all bondmen should be made free1 for ,god made all free with his precious blood-shedding40 ,i presume he meant that this might also apply to ,council ,school teachers4 ,he likewise suggested 8that someone should be appointed in every parish to teach poor men's children catechism and the primer2 that enclosing of common lands should be put a stop to2 and that priests and vicars who were unable to preach and set forth the word of ,god should be removed from their benefices40 ,what a pulpit emptying ordinance this last clause is6 ,it cost ,kett dear4 ,the ,earl of ,warwick instructed an army of ,german mercenaries to pursue him2 #c1ejj of his ,norfolk followers were cut down1 and he was hanged as a rebel for his presumption4 ,a rebel is a person who comes on earth before the people are intelligent enough to understand him4 ,none but a rebel ever had ,saviour carved on his tomb4 ,had he suggested that vicars should live up to their teachings we would have classed him as an ,impossiblist1 of course4 ,the keeping of ,sunday will always be a matter of controversy until we in ,england also 8,remember the week-day to keep it holy40 ,now1 let us move on to the petty persecutions and puny pretexts for dismissal vouchsafed to ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,higdon after more than three years' service and twelve years in the county4 ,the ,reverend ,charles ,tucker ,eland1 to give him his full title1 parted in the middle1 departed this ,burston village life for a short holiday in ,switzerland4 ,a clergyman's holiday has two good points4 ,it gives both him and his congregation a well-earned rest4 ,whilst the ,reverend ,school ,manager was away in ,switzerland1 an epidemic of whooping cough had the audacity to enter the village4 ,mrs4 ,higdon1 the schoolmistress1 at once sent over to another reverend school manager1 the ,reverend ,millard 7,rector of ,shimpling and vice-chairman of the local ,managers' ,committee71 and he1 after consultation1 decided to close the ,council ,school for one week4 ,he signed the notices1 and made entry in the log to that effect4 ,when the ,rector of ,burston arrived back from ,mount ,pilatus another meeting of the school managers was held4 ,this ,managers' ,committee informed ,mrs4 ,higdon1 through the chairman 7,reverend ,c4 ,t4 ,eland this time7 8that the committee took a very serious view of her having closed the school without permission1 but10 added the ,reverend ,pulpiteer1 no doubt in an outburst of holiday extravagance1 8the managers will now let the matter drop40 ,a ,,very ,,reverend ,,committee4 ,i think we might here observe a silent pause whilst we appropriately meditate upon the reverend chairman's logic and the ,managing ,committee's generosity4 ,in fact1 the names of the members of the committee should be handed down to posterity4 ,here they are3 ,,burston ,,council ,,school4 ,the ,school ,managing ,committee4 ,the ,right ,reverend ,rector1 ,charles ,tucker ,eland4 ,the ,right ,reverend ,reverend ,rector's good lady4 7,county ,council1 two votes by appointment47 ,the ,right ,reverend ,rector's friend1 the ,right ,reverend ,rector of ,shimpling1 ,reverend ,charles ,millard4 ,the ,right ,reverend ,charles ,tucker ,eland's glebe tenant1 ,farmer ,fisher4 ,the ,right ,reverend ,rector's friend's friend1 the ,rector of ,shimpling's churchwarden1 ,farmer ,stearn1 and lastly1 beloved1 ,mr4 ,harry ,witherly4 ,a fitting finale to this family party--,i mean ,council ,school ,managing ,committee--was provided by the ,right ,reverend ,charles ,tucker ,eland's loyal glebe tenant1 ,farmer ,fisher1 who remarked upon 8the harm which had been done to the parish by closing the school40 ,had ,farmer ,fisher been a medico one might have sympathised with him in his sorrow at 8whooping cough0 not being allowed to attend school whilst the rector was in ,switzerland1 but as ,mr4 ,fisher is not a medical gentleman by profession one is forced to the sad conclusion that though he may put money in his purse he really ought to have more furniture in his attic4 ,his theory for the elimination of disease is certainly original4 ,children who may suffer in the future from mumps1 whooping cough1 scarlet fever1 managers1 or any other disease liable to be captured by juveniles1 may say to their parents1 8,please don't keep me at home4 ,please mother1 ,mr4 ,fisher recommends ,council ,school treatment1 so that ,i may share it with the others40 8,yes1 ,bor4 ,whoop1 whoop1 whooping cough40 ,yes6 ,i can safely recommend a little attic salt4 ,i must not be too hard1 however1 on our friend2 it is not quite safe for glebe tenants to differ from rectors as a rule4 ,three are already on notice for differing4 ,mrs4 ,higdon1 having faced the alternatives of being reprimanded for not closing the school or for allowing the reverend gentleman from ,shimpling to close it--you takes your choice--went back to attend to her bairns considerably chastened1 and ,burston breathed again as of yore4 ,unfortunately1 the only two ,englishmen who could have done justice to this theme are both dead4 ,set to appropriate poetry by ,gilbert1 composed and orchestrated with a slight ,mozartean sprinkling of consecutive fifths by ,sir ,a4 ,sullivan1 it might have brought down the house at the ,savoy1 likewise the ,national ,union of ,teachers' ,executive1 had the ,n4,u4,t4,s4 not been suffering from sleeping sickness4 ,however1 the reverently-composed committee had not given up all hopes1 although the case was against them this time4 ,the next act opens with the appearance of ,mr4 ,ikin1 assistant-secretary to the ,norfolk ,education ,committee4 ,he paid what is known as a surprise visit4 ,a surprise visit is the most modern form of torture4 ,in the olden days they always brought you something4 ,to-day they try to take everything you've got4 ,in the olden days you sometimes received a goose1 to-day they send you a picture postcard4 ,his surprise words to ,mrs4 ,higdon were3 8,what is wrong between you and the managers80 ,mrs4 ,higdon replied that she was not aware that there was anything wrong4 ,mr4 ,ikin went on to say that the local managers had written to the ,norfolk ,education ,committee1 complaining that she had lighted the schoolroom fire against their instructions1 and that 8as she had so many faults to find with the place1 would the committee kindly remove her to a sphere more genial80 ,that a good1 healthy1 religious enemy is not to be despised the lives of ,bruno1 ,galileo1 ,kepler1 ,wycliffe1 ,wesley1 or a study of the ,thirty ,years' ,war will prove4 ,here is a copy of the letter sent to ,mrs4 ,higdon3 ,norfolk ,education ,committee1 ,shirehall1 ,norfolk1 ,november #bith1 #aiac4 ,,burston ,,and ,,shimpling ,,school4 ,dear ,madam1--,in a communication received from the managers on the #acth of ,november1 the committee were asked 8if they will kindly remove ,mrs4 ,higdon to a sphere more genial40 ,i may remind you that this is the second place in which you have come into conflict with the managers4 ,the committee have decided that the managers' instructions are to be obeyed1 and as they have instructed you that the fire is not to be lit1 ,i am to give you directions to obey these instructions4 ,i trust there will be no further friction4 ,yours faithfully1 ,thos4 ,a4 ,cox1 ,secretary4 ,mrs4 ,a4 ,k4 ,higdon1 ,burston ,school1 ,diss4 ,it seems the old method of fire-lighting still prevails4 ,that is by friction4 ,in reading this parochial letter of complaint one cannot help but admire the warm interest which the ,reverend ,managers' ,committee display in ,mrs4 ,higdon4 ,they are so solicitous about her welfare that they desire the ,norfolk ,education ,committee to 8kindly remove her to a sphere more genial40 ,one is here tempted to quote ,ingersoll's advice to his wife4 ,once upon a day1 when the lady was suffering from heat in the head--vulgarly termed temper--he turned to her1 and mildly remarked3 8,darling1 ,i am afraid that you have not yet shed all your ,christian virtues40 ,unfortunately1 the reverend chairman1 with ,machiavellian subtlety1 omits to mention whether the 8genial sphere0 to which he recommends ,mrs4 ,higdon's removal is on this planet or the other one4 ,the many readers of ,pickwick will have vivid recollections of the memorable part played by a warming pan1 but who would believe that a similar amount of indignation could be aroused in the breasts of the ,reverend ,managers' ,committee at the lighting of a schoolroom fire to dry the wet clothes of the agricultural labourers' children4 ,the great difficulty one is confronted with in placing these items before the general public is to convince folks that these complaints were made against ,council ,school teachers and not ,high ,church ones4 ,these backstairs1 intriguing1 silly1 childish complaints might well be laughed out of court if they were not being launched with a definite object in view4 ,that object was to strike at ,higdon through his wife4 ,this is a very ancient pastime4 ,satan1 by all accounts1 was an early exponent of it4 ,he had a similar object in view1 viz41 to assist emigration and check sympathetic vibration4 ,readers may have noted the paragraph3 8,this is the second place in which you have come into conflict with the managers40 ,to understand this sentence is to possess the key to all the petty persecution and to gain a grip upon the problems of the countryside4 ,mr4 ,higdon has constantly1 at ,wood ,dalling1 his previous place1 and at ,burston1 tried to secure brighter conditions of life and better housing for the tillers and toilers4 ,,where ,,are ,,the 8,,nuts08 ,he has been an ardent advocate of the ,agricultural ,labourers' ,union4 ,he and his wife are both members of the ,n4,u4,t4 to-day1 and have been during the past eight years4 ,mrs4 ,higdon was this year made honorary member by her ,association1 ,east ,dereham1 in order to ensure her continuance of her qualification for support could she not afford to pay4 ,in order to relieve the anxiety of a few up-to-date doubting ,thomases ,i here insert certificate of membership3 ,no4 #dd1ghd4 ,received of ,mrs4 ,higdon 7#aiac71 of ,burston1 ,diss41 following amounts on behalf of ,n4,u4,t4 and the ,east ,dereham ,association4 ,,subscription4 s4 d4 ,annual to ,local ,association #c #j ,annual to ,n4,u4,t #ab #j ,signature of ,local ,secretary or ,treasurer1 ,a4 ,e4 ,tripp4 ,mr4 ,higdon's #aiad membership card is #da1ecd4 ,he possesses similar receipts right up to date4 ,in order also to relieve the minds of a few gentlemen who know so much that is not so1 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,higdon have not received one penny piece from the 8nuts0 of the ,n4,u4,t4 ,executive4 ,they have taught during the last sixteen months without fee1 and the villagers1 having understudied ,elijah's raven1 have1 out of their humble cupboards1 supplied the ,higdons4 ,pardon this digression4 ,now to come to the root cause of the persecutions4 ,those in authority like not the cold1 clear light of public opinion to be focussed upon their apathy and neglect4 ,for centuries have squire and parson held the countryside in subjection4 8,ye shall know them by their fruits40 ,low standards of living1 emigration1 insanitary hovels1 and servility--these are the fruits4 ,the ,parish ,council ,elections1 both at ,wood ,dalling and ,burston1 gave the owners of the people's lives a severe shock4 ,at each place1 ,assistant-,master ,higdon and the agricultural labourers topped the poll4 ,at ,burston1 ,higdon defeated the very ,reverend ,rector1 ,c4 ,t4 ,eland4 ,an unpardonable offence4 ,he topped the poll1 and with him five labourers were elected1 thus displacing the parson and the landowners4 ,after these victories1 the persecutions commenced1 both at ,wood ,dalling and ,burston4 8,go1 ,tubal1 fee me an officer1 ,i will have the heart of him40 ,i am also proud to add that in spite of the most strenuous 7or strenuseless7 opposition1 spite of clergy and farmers' malice1 ,higdon and his friends have carried their housing agitation to victory--the ,local ,government ,board having just given their decision in favour of the ,burston ,parish ,council against the ,district ,council1 that the houses must be proceeded with forthwith4 ,no wonder the villagers are gratified4 ,often have the younger end to wait until their elders die off ere they can get married1 and the funeral-baked meats oft furnish the ,matrimonial ,passover4 ,when we learn of people crowded in small sleeping rooms1 and ,barnardo children occupying one-storied insanitary hovels1 with outside walls only seven feet high1 and damp rooms on ground floor1 unfit for sleeping in1 we may easily guess the fight the schoolmaster had to make4 ,strange is it not that gentlemen living in the best house in the village--as clergymen generally do--should be such strong opponents of good homes for other ,christians8 ,the only faults ,mrs4 ,higdon had to find at school were simply faults which every lady inhabiting a house would seek to remedy4 ,faults of lighting1 heating1 drainage1 and schoolhouse pump which were essential matters to the health of even labourers' offspring4 ,the reverend manager and his local committee1 however1 objected4 ,the schoolroom fire was lit upon wet mornings to dry the children's clothes1 as the third radiator of the heating apparatus did not sufficiently warm the room4 ,the ,reverend ,eland visited the school and the mistress explained to him her reasons for lighting this fire occasionally4 ,strange to say1 he agreed with her1 and advised her to write ,mr4 ,wade1 of ,shimpling4 ,he not replying 7according to his usual practice7 silence was taken as consent4 ,not before a new body of managers was formed1 with the reverend gentleman1 who had previously given his permission as chairman 7,c4 ,t4 ,eland71 was the complaint re fire re-resurrected4 ,so much for the fire1 the whole fire1 and nothing but the fire1 so help your wet clothes4 8,trivialities oft usher in tragedies1 however40 ,,what 8,,john ,,bull0 ,,had ,,to ,,say4 ,the next complaint was more successful4 ,mrs4 ,higdon was accused of caning two ,barnardo children1 discourtesy to the managers1 and our dear old friendly complaint1 fire-lighting1 once more4 ,these complaints1 like the previous ones1 were completely false and unfounded4 ,during these complaints ,mrs4 ,higdon was helping the reverend gentleman with his lantern entertainments4 ,john ,bull1 referring to the matter1 says3 8,the role of scape-goat was reserved for the schoolmaster's wife40 ,at the last election the schoolmaster1 with five labourers of his own way of thinking1 was triumphantly returned to the ,parish ,council4 ,room was made for them by the unseating of the rector and the leading farmers4 ,in these striking circumstances1 it is perhaps not surprising that the managers of the school should have entreated the ,county ,education ,committee to remove them 8to a more genial sphere of work40 ,an early opportunity was found to charge her with the ill-treatment of two of her pupils and--whisper it with bated breath--8intentional discourtesy to the rector's wife40 ,that two respectable teachers should be hounded out of house and home simply upon the testimony of a poor ,barnardo waif--who privately denied what she publicly confessed1 excusing herself by saying 8she would have been thrashed by her foster-mother if she had not said so0 seems beyond belief4 ,still the fact remains that ,mrs4 ,higdon did not cane the child1 as the whole of the school children can prove4 ,she does not belong to the cane family4 ,furthermore1 the sequel to this complaint proves her entire innocence4 ,pity1 indeed1 is it that those who were seeking excuses for her removal could not find a single parent or child belonging to the village to complain of ,mrs4 ,higdon's treatment of them4 #a4 ,that the head teacher has been discourteous to the managers4 #b4 7a7 ,that in view of the direct conflict of evidence with respect to the caning of the ,barnardo children they are not able to give a decision on this matter2 but they are strongly of opinion that there is no evidence at all that the girl 7,e4,c47 is mentally and morally deficient1 or a danger to the school1 as stated in the letters of the head teacher and her husband4 7,the head teacher said she was 8somewhat0 mentally deficient1 which1 of course1 alters the context74 7b7 ,that1 in their opinion1 these children are well treated and cared for by their foster-mother1 and that the children are not afraid of being beaten by her4 7c7 ,that in their opinion the communications sent by the head teacher and her husband to ,dr4 ,barnardo's ,institution were not warranted by the facts of the case4 ,the sub-committee1 after most carefully reviewing the whole of the evidence1 advise3 8,that it is to the interest of elementary education in this village that the head teacher should seek other employment with as little delay as possible4 ,that no punishment book having been kept in this school by the head teacher prior to this occurrence she be directed faithfully to keep such book40 ,so the forces of reaction had triumphed4 ,first1 accused and condemned by false stories put in the mouths of babes1 eight and nine years' old respectively2 secondly1 because the ,higdons had written to the ,barnardo ,institution hoping to receive real justice from an impartial tribunal1 not local village justice2 thirdly1 insulted about an ancient rule of ,sir ,john ,gorst's re punishment book1 which other teachers in the county did not possess4 ,thus they were supposed to have received their quietus4 ,the inquiry was practically a funless farce4 ,higdon and his wife received short notice to vacate the schoolhouse 7left in the lurch by the ,n4,u4,t41 as at ,wood ,dalling and at ,burston1 where the representative1 after promising that a slander action would take place as soon as possible1 became frightened at his own bravery1 and thought better of it71 they felt inclined to understudy poor ,joe1 and move on4 ,at this juncture all seemed lost4 ,the ,higdons1 poor financially and politically1 having no rich ,liberal nor ,tory champion1 were confronted with that 8remove to a sphere more genial10 which their most ,christian friends desired4 ,the ,burston ,dyaks seemed to have succeeded1 when all at once a change came o'er the scene4 ,here entereth the school children4 ,not meaningless are the beautiful words1 8,a little child shall lead them40 ,,the ,,children ,,strike4 ,the school children struck4 ,they refused to attend the ,council ,school4 ,when they knew their beloved teachers had been victimised they refused to go back4 ,they went on strike4 ,this was the finest1 spontaneous1 and most loving act of kindness that kind teachers ever had showered upon them4 ,it was a fitting tribute and a real answer to all the calumny and slander4 ,children know when they are loved4 ,they cannot pretend as grown-ups can4 ,had ,higdon and his wife been disciples of ,whackford ,squeers or advocates of the 8,big ,stick10 the children would gladly have sung ,tosti's 8,good-bye for ever10 and good shuttance4 ,but they struck in sympathy4 ,here are we confronted with another great factor4 ,the mothers backed them up womanfully4 ,there are at present #ef children on ,higdons' books4 ,there's a juxtaposition1 as the late-lamented ,dominie ,sampson might have remarked4 ,the ,babes o' ,burston and the ,burston ,braves4 ,that the women showed bravery is an undeniable fact4 ,it requires more than milksop pluck to brave the farmers1 the clerics1 and the law4 ,an open-air meeting was held on the green4 ,the village green is that portion of ,england left over after the squire and parson have cast lots for the remainder4 ,what says the good book1 slightly altered8 8,a certain man went to ,jericho and fell among landowners40 ,here let me insert the villagers' reply to the ,reverend ,managers' ,committee and the ,norfolk ,education ,committee3 ,that we1 the electors and ratepayers of ,burston and ,shimpling1 in peaceable meeting assembled on ,burston ,common1 again protest against the action of certain school managers in bringing about the dismissal of the teachers1 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,higdon1 whom we all desire to keep2 we who are parents have been more than satisfied with the educational progress during the past three years2 the children have liked going to school1 and have been more regular in their attendances than ever before2 the report of ,his ,majesty's ,inspector is a most excellent one1 so that upon no grounds whatever can we see any reasonable excuse for the removal of these teachers from the school4 ,the children wrote essays upon these exciting incidents4 ,i have read them4 ,they have given me great joy4 ,some are quite dramatic4 ,,the ,,night ,,before ,,the ,,strike4 ,by a ,strike ,boy4 ,the night before we went on strike we had a meeting on the comon4 7,nothing common about his spelling is there87 ,mr4 ,durbridge1 who is a soldier now1 had two lamps a light4 ,all the children goin' on strike4 ,went into a ring and held there hands up4 ,so we all went into the ring4 ,there were #ff children4 ,the last night we went to the ,council ,school we all had a ,easter egg each and a orange each4 ,these were ,mrs4 ,higdon's parting gifts to the children4 ,but she has not parted from them yet 7,glory be67 and this was over sixteen months ago4 ,other essays tell us how 8the strikers marched with flags and banners1 with cards on their breasts1 #8,we want our teachers back4'0 ,one boy writes 8that ,god sent fine weather a purpose for us strikers40 ,i hope he did1 sonny4 ,another states 8how they marched round the candlestick40 ,this is a route march which consists of a twist and a double to pass the ,council ,school and the ,rectory1 although there is no mention of the children being invited in to tea4 ,we gain information from these essays1 8as to bobies standing round40 ,evidently this boy has studied un-,natural ,history4 ,we also learn 8how ,mrs4 ,boulton brought a pale of lemonade and nuts1 and we sang #8,we will all cling together like the ivy on the old garden wall1' and we have done so except two ,turncote blacklegs40 ,not white ,wyandottes1 blacklegs4 ,another budding ,jim ,mace perchance 7for ,james hailed from 8,swarfham where they do tree days' trashin' for norfun'07 informs us 8that they had three or four policemen to gaurd the school1 but 7as he quaintly remarks7 there was no need for them as we did not get to fighting40 ,evidently a good job for the policemen that ,jack did not tackle them4 ,yes1 ,i have had great joy of these essays4 ,amy informs us 8how she brought her mouth organ and ,violet brought her accordeon1 and how those ,barnardo girls told stories1 for they had not been caned40 ,one feels quite young as one reads of 8,ben ,turner borrowing two planks to write upon1 how schoolmistress1 whom they term governess1 would come and catch us not redein1 an' we would have to do a slate full of trancription0--whatever that may mean4 ,one may read1 mark1 and learn 8how the boys sat on planks with their legs in the ditch10 and 8how when it was sewing day1 we sat on the copper in the coal-house1 and when it raned we ranned into the cottage10 and 8how we had our liteness tooken twice40 ,but some of the essays are grand and reflect credit upon all concerned4 ,to read them brings back youthful days4 ,a ,,school ,,on ,,the ,,common4 ,so the children were taught on the ,common4 ,they had their old teachers1 who taught as a labour of love and without fee4 ,they received in return a few eggs1 a little milk1 butter1 cheese1 in fact1 anything which poor people share with each other1 not forgetting ,burston smiles4 ,however1 trouble was a-brewing4 ,the ,law ,assyrian came down like a wolf on the fold4 ,the parents were summoned for not sending their children to school4 ,on the #adth of ,may1 #aiad1 thirty parents appeared before the magistrates at ,diss1 three miles away1 to show cause whereby1 inasmuch1 as aforesaid1 likewise hereinafter4 ,why not6 ,oh1 ,law6 ,lor6 ,perhaps you have had experience of engaging a lawyer to defend you from another lawyer8 ,the ,burston ,braves appeared before the ,diss ,solons for not sending their children to school4 ,i pause here to blame the children4 ,had the children been intelligent enough to choose rich parents they could have been taught in their own homes1 including ,windsor1 ,knowsley1 ,welbeck1 or anywhere else4 ,rich parents have this slight advantage over ,burston village bairns4 ,let this be a warning to the bairns4 ,the solicitor for the defence questioned the ,school ,attendance ,officer1 who admitted that he had made no inquiries to ascertain whether the children were attending another school4 ,by the way1 what did that well-known writer say1 whose name ,i do not know8 8,man is an animal that looks above1 behind1 but never beneath his nose40 ,the attendance officer had nothing to say on behalf of the ,education ,committee as to the efficiency of the old teachers4 ,the magistrates heard one case4 ,the ,burston ,brave proved that her little son had regularly attended a school conducted by the late mistress and master1 so the bench inflicted a fine of five shillings upon her and #bi more women4 ,these are hard wooden benches1 aren't they8 ,i wonder what fine would have been inflicted if the children had not attended school6 ,but1 knowing their antipathy to blacklegging1 they could not do otherwise than stick to their old teachers4 ,in the certificate of membership1 issued by the ,national ,union of ,teachers1 is the following3 ,,professional ,,conduct4 ,the following is a list of the actions already declared to be unprofessional3 #a4 ,for any member to take an appointment from which1 in the judgment of the ,n4,u4,t4 ,executive1 another member has been unjustly dismissed4 ,how could the children attend the ,council ,school then1 when the ,n4,u4,t4,e4 had allowed this case to go by default8 ,however1 the ,braves and ,babes of ,burston marched back to the school1 pondering on ,diss ,law4 ,speaking without bias1 as the bowler said1 ,i am thoroughly in favour of magistrates being chosen by the shape of their heads1 instead of by the size of their wallets4 ,fancy mulcting poor labourers' wives 7to some of whom one sovereign is a princely week's salary7 of #es4 each4 ,,fined ,,but ,,undismayed4 ,they were fined again and again4 ,but they held indignation meetings on ,burston ,green4 ,lovers of fair play and freedom flocked in1 the money was collected1 and the fines paid4 ,they refused to crook the pregnant hinges of the knee4 ,their children should not return to ,council ,block1 whilst old ,england stands upon a rock1 unless proper inquiry was held1 and the teachers re-instated4 ,the opposition has simply strengthened their resolves4 ,a little kindness1 a little ,christian charity1 a little of the spirit of give and take in the early stages1 and all would have been better than well4 ,to-day1 however1 to deny men and women who1 out of their daily toil1 pay for education1 etc41 a voice in the management of what concerns them nearly and dearly is simply autocratic presumption4 ,harassed by law1 denied the right to choose those whom they loved to teach their children1 they determined not to be coerced4 ,they refused to attend the churches or chapels4 ,they held huge demonstrations upon the village green4 ,the surrounding villagers and townsfolk came to hear and see4 ,so the revolt spreads4 8,those who came to scoff oft remained to pray40 ,real1 live addresses were given by friends1 who reanimated the hopes of the past1 crystallised the spirit of the dead ,christ1 and made hearts throb and eyes fill as they vividly brought before others the poor1 persecuted1 maligned1 crucified friend of fishermen1 ,magdalen1 and poor folks4 ,the village green blossomed2 the dream of brotherhood1 fellowship1 and fraternity1 as prophesied by murdered ,john ,ball--the so-called mad priest of ,kent--became reality4 ,john ,sutton1 sheep dipper1 baptised the children4 ,john was also christened4 ,christened after his ,christian name1 he became ,john the ,baptist4 ,higdon and his wife and the villagers hunted around to find some lowly shelter for the little mites1 some of whom had come from miles away to be taught4 ,they found one at last4 ,a blind man took pity on them4 ,he let a carpenter's shop to them4 ,a carpenter's shop6 ,and where on earth may we discover a school for budding humanity so pregnant with meaning as a humble carpenter's shop8 ,surely no palace grand1 no poplar-dwarfing sun-kissed steeple1 no ,moslem mosque gold glittering in ,eastern city1 contains such deep meanings to reverent minds as a carpenter's shop4 ,no ancient mausoleum1 no ,egyptian pyramid1 containing swathed mummy bones of ancient ,pharoah1 who scuttled through life's short day1 may call forth such sentiments1 or inspiration to die if need be on behalf of the poor and the needy1 the homeless and friendless4 ,so to this humble shop came the children4 ,here came the boys and girls who had struck against ,council ,syntax and ,burston ,junkerism4 ,they were helped by their mothers4 ,if the lot of the agricultural labourer1 the ,lazarus of civilisation1 is hard1 the lot of the labourers' labourer is harder still4 ,little joy in life has she4 ,divorced from the beauties of science and art1 no electric lights1 no hot and cold water on the slopstone1 no airy1 fairy1 decorated bedrooms1 no well paved and lighted streets1 no quick transit1 no musical evenings1 scientific lectures1 melodious operas1 sweet string bands1 no cinema1 no long cycle4 ,no6 ,grinding toil4 ,dark1 slushy1 snowy lanes in winter1 grime and poverty1 poor wages1 daily struggles1 patching and mending1 sewing and knitting1 washing and baking1 sometimes toiling and moiling in rain-swept fields for bare pittance1 wearing sodden shoddy1 or soaking on wind-swept wastes4 ,go to ,burston and meet your sisters1 keeping up their hearts on miserable wages1 and even giving out of their scant doles a little offering to their beloved strike school4 ,with scarce a copper to bless themselves with1 they rented the carpenter's shop at #c per year4 ,out o' poorly furnished homes they gave their chairs1 their tables1 stools1 lamps1 knick-knacks1 of little value perhaps1 but potent as widows' mite4 ,they cleaned1 scrubbed1 scoured1 and mothered that school1 as they are doing it to-day4 ,lucky scholars to have so much mother-love enveloping them6 ,to have such mem'ries clustering round4 ,to think that the world's toiler1 sweet son o' ,mary1 spent ,his early college days in the carpenter's shop4 ,was ,he not apprenticed to manual labour8 ,did ,he not sanctify it8 ,may ,he not have rehearsed future discourses and similar surroundings1 whilst sawing and planing1 mending1 making1 and creating in ,his self-chosen ,university of ,adversity1 so that ,he might humanise the world1 the world which to-day is deaf to ,his teachings4 ,had ,his parables1 ,his philosophy of honest poverty1 ,his contempt of lordship and riches been laid to heart1 ,europe would not be in flames to-day4 ,and1 as my labour of love draws to a close1 ,i grieve to say that trouble is coming to ,burston village once more4 ,the rector has given notice to three of the glebe tenants4 ,the blind man1 who let the carpenter's shop1 is one4 ,this means the closing down of the school4 ,two other parents are also in similar plight1 and this is a presage of further victimisation perchance in the future4 ,shall all the anxieties1 the struggles1 and the hopes of the past sixteen months end in this clearance of the ,higdons and their friends1 the closing of the carpenter's shop1 shall it end like this8 ,if so1 ,i do not envy the rector his victory4 ,nay1 rather do ,i think it will not only be a barren one1 but a distinct blow against the religion he is supposed to represent4 ,what ,christianity is this8 ,a ,,bishop',s ,,advice4 ,three people have received notice to quit the globe4 ,the ,bishop of ,norwich has been appealed to4 ,the ,eastern ,daily ,press1 ,july #bhth1 #aiae1 which lies on my knee as ,i write1 contains his photo4 ,he is standing outside the ,hospital for the ,indigent ,blind1 in ,magdalen ,street1 ,norwich1 with the ,earl and ,countess of ,leicester1 looking as though he had his meals more regularly than many village folk4 ,surely he is interested in the blind of ,burston1 also8 ,shall they be ousted8 ,will he allow his rector to press this injustice8 ,but he has been appealed to4 ,here is his reply3 ,the ,palace1 ,norwich4 ,dear ,sir1--,i am directed by the ,bishop of ,norwich to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the #aeth1 and to say that if the persons named feel aggrieved they should seek redress through the legal tribunals4 ,yours faithfully1 ,j4 ,a4 ,parsons1 ,secretary4 ,e4 ,b4 ,reeves4 ,so ,his ,lordship1 with income of #d1ejj per year1 palace1 etc41 advises three poor folk1 one of whom is blind1 to 8seek redress through the legal tribunals40 ,this be certainly ,his ,lordship's grim joke4 ,how poor folk1 waxing lean and keeping families on between #dj and #ej per year1 sometimes feasting on bread and lard1 whilst glebe owners munch biscuits and cream1 can indulge in such luxury as 8,the ,law0 passes what ,darby ,doyle would call 8the wit av mortial man40 ,the only law we can appeal to under these circumstances is the ,law of ,humanity4 ,the ancient tribunal1 vox populi1 vox ,dei3 ,the voice of the people is the voice of ,god4 ,i would that these people had better advocate than myself4 ,their cause is founded on justice1 reason1 and truth4 ,they want public inquiry which1 ,i believe1 will end in their well-beloved teachers reinstatement4 ,the tyranny of the countryside is still a menace to freedom of thought and action4 ,i have done my best to explain this4 ,to the ,braves of ,burston ,i tender my appreciation and admiration for their gallant sixteen months' struggle4 ,they are the pioneers4 ,they are real live women1 with red corpuscles dancing in their veins1 not the phagocytes of serfdom4 ,none but ,james ,oppenheim1 the poet1 may do them justice3 ,,bread ,,and ,,roses4 ,as we come marching1 marching1 in the beauty of the day ,a million darkened kitchens1 a thousand mill lofts grey ,are touched with all the radiance that a sudden sun discloses ,for the people hear us singing1 8,bread and ,roses1 ,bread and ,roses40 ,as we come marching1 marching1 unnumbered women dead ,go crying thro' our singing1 their ancient song of bread4 ,small art1 and love1 and beauty1 their drudging spirits knew2 ,yes6 'tis bread we fight for1 but we fight for roses1 too4 ,as we come marching1 marching1 we bring the greater days1 ,the rising of the women means the rising of the race4 ,no more the drudge and idler1 ten that toil where one reposes ,but a sharing of life's glories1 8,bread and ,roses10 ,bread and ,roses4 ,and you1 chance reader1 may be able1 even in a small way1 to focus the light of public opinion by either voice1 pen1 spoken word1 or this booklet1 upon this grave miscarriage of justice4 ,,what ,,are ,,you ,,going ,,to ,,do8 ,the time is quickly drawing nigh4 ,michaelmas ,day1 ,september #bith1 #aiae1 sees the expiration of the glebe notices4 ,trades ,councils1 ,brotherhoods1 ,co-operative ,guilds1 ,associations of all kinds may help in this matter4 ,our brothers are laying down their lives in ,flanders to preserve that heritage of the ages1 ,freedom4 ,we want that freedom in ,burston4 ,the people require freedom to worship ,god in their own way4 ,freedom to have their children taught by those whom they love4 ,freedom to remain in the villages where their fathers died1 and not to be ousted at the caprice of every gentleman whom they do not see eye to eye with4 ,freedom is a goddess worth dying for4 ,here ,i express the thanks of the ,higdons1 and the ,babes and ,braves o' ,burston1 to the many friends who have risen up4 ,a cynic once said1 8,gratitude is a lively sense of favours to come40 ,granted--and why not8 ,the recipient confers a pleasure in accepting4 ,our hearts are still full of hopes of help in the near future4 ,the ,trade ,union ,congress meets in ,september4 ,maybe we shall find more friends there4 ,to ,e4 ,b4 ,reeves1 of ,the ,bungalow1 ,norwich1 ,i tender thanks4 ,as ,robert ,louis ,stevenson puts it1 8,he is a bonnie fechter0 for freedom1 vigilant1 tireless1 painstaking4 ,to the many noble speakers thanks also4 ,offers of help1 orders for this pamphlet1 friendly suggestions1 and letters of advice will find him at the address3 ,e4 ,b4 ,reeves1 ,the ,bungalow1 ,norwich4 ,the fight after all is a real fight for 8,bread and ,roses40 ,the same year that ,calvin died ,shakespeare came on earth4 ,it was a real good exchange without any robbery4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,national ,labour ,press1 ,ltd41 ,manchester and ,london4 #ahiia 99 99 99 99 99 8,,casey0 ,,contributes ,,each ,,week ,,to ,,the ,,labour ,,leader 99 99 99 99 99 ,on ,sale every ,thursday4 ,price ,,one ,,penny4 ,from ,all ,newsagents4 99 99 99 99 99 8,a ,wandering ,minstrel0 ,a ,,book ,,of ,,vagrom ,,sketches4 ,by 8,,casey40 ,with an original photograph of the ,author4 99 99 99 99 99 ,price #as4 ,post free1 #as4 #c;d4 99 99 99 99 99 ,from ,,the ,,national ,,labour ,,press1 ,,ltd4 #cj1 ,,blackfriars ,,street1 ,,manchester4