On This Day, 18 July 1918

Birmingham Daily Post

Thursday 18 July 1918

HARBORNE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL

BOYS WHO ARE PLAYING THEIR PART IN THE WAR

The annual meeting of the subscribers and friends of the Birmingham (Harborne) Certified Industrial School for Boys was held in the Council House, yesterday.

In moving the adoption of the report, the Lord Mayor (Sir David Brooks), who presided, said one was more and more impressed by the fact that these certified institutions were not punitive establishments, but institutions for the training of young persons who had made an unfortunate beginning in life, in order that they might become good and useful citizens. They had to deal with material capable of adaption and producing good results in after life. His lordship referred to the boys who had been allowed to go out and assist in the production of munitions or in work on the land, and said it was satisfactory that at this juncture in the history of the country they were anxious to do work of national importance. Alluding to the deficit of £300 odd on the year, the Lord Mayor said institutions of that character should be placed in the position to do their beneficent work free from financial embarrassment, and the Treasury ought to be urged to do their share towards meeting the extra expense in consequence of the war. If necessary, local authorities should also be asked to assist in meeting the extra charge for maintenance.

Mr Joseph Ansell, seconding, said between 29,000 and 30,000 boys who had been trained in certified industrial schools were either in the navy or army at the present time, and six of them had obtained the V.C. The Harborne school was also playing its part in the war. No fewer them 252 former boys had joined the forces, two had won the Military Medal (one with the bar), one had been mentioned in despatches, 34 had been wounded, three were prisoners of war, and 16 had been killed or died of wounds.

The report was adopted.