September 1897

September

THE past has been a month almost unprecedently beautiful. Fine and warm weather, and abundance of it, have compensated for a wet August. The result has been that all the harvest has been" safely gathered in." If it can ever be said of a farmer that all anxiety is past, he may be considered in that happy position now. We have only to hope that he may now be well paid for the produce of his land and his labour.

WE celebrated our Harvest Festival on the 22nd of September. Tuesday was spent in arranging the offerings of those who desired to contribute something towards the service of thanksgiving for a plentiful harvest. Flowers were abundant, and although apples are scarce this year, many beautiful ones were sent. In addition to this, the patients at Addenbrooke's Hospital have to thank many kind friends here for other gifts to them in their sickness. Amongst all the decorations there stood out prominently a large round stack of wheat., made and presented by Mr Tabeart. This was not only quite a work of art, but must have cost considerable time and trouble. We had a hearty and happy service, and Canon Stanton, of Trinity College, Cambridge, preached to us. The collection amounted at the two services to £4 lIs. Id. To this we shall add the collections at Pymoor and S. Owen's, deduct £2 2s. for the Convalescent Home at Hunstanton, and send the remainder to Addenbrooke's Hospital

WE have received the following letter from the Matron :-" Dear Sir',-On behalf of the patients and household, I beg to thank you very much for the most acceptable gifts received to-day. We are most grateful for everything."

DURING the week beginning with. the 13th 5eptember, classes were held in the Schoolroom under the auspices of the School Managers, to give instruction in Butter and Cheese Making. The Eastern Counties Dairy Institute sent us a teacher, Miss K. Sharman, and she proved a most efficient instructor. Butter-making was taught with the use of all the modern appliances, such as butter worker and Scotch hands, and the result showed how much superior this butter is to that made in the old-fashioned way. Still, Only six could be induced to go through the practical course of teaching. Of these, the following took prizes at a competition conducted by Miss Sharman on the last day: Miss L. Norman, Mrs. Scarr, Miss Flanders, Miss R. Aspland and Mrs. W. Sabberton.

MUCH interest ought to have centred round the Cheese-making, because any suggeston how to make farming more profitable ought to be welcomed, but only three entered for practical instruction, Mrs Thornton, and the MIsses L. and M. Norman. Miss Sharman gave InstructIon In making the following cheeses :~Cream cheese, Neuchatel, Gervais, Ooulomier and Cambridge cheeses. We have to thank Miss Sharman for the great pains she took throughout with her instruction.

AT the competion recently held in the parish in Stacking and Thatching the following were successful in gaining prizes :-On Farms over two hundred acres :-Stacking.- William Tabeart, 1st prize, £1; Trew Nicholas, 2nd, 10s.; Murfit LitheIl, 3rd, 5s. Thatching.-William Tabeart, 1st prize, £1 ; Thomas Shelton, 2nd, 10s.; John Youngs, 3rd, 5s. Fen Stacking.-Everet Parsons, 1st p[.ize, £1. Farms under two hundred acres :-Stacking.-J. E. Moxon, 1st prize, 15s. Fen Stacking. -.John Stevens, 1st, prize, 15s. ; T. W. Pearson, 2nd, 1 Os. Fen Thatching.-John Stevens, 1st prize, 15s. Farms under one hundred acres :-Stacking.-Fred Smith, 1st prize, 7s. 6d. Fen Stacking.-John Stevens, 1st prize, 7s. 6d.; William Miller, 2nd, 5s. Fen Thatching.-John Barber, lilt. prize, 7s.6d. We congratulate the prize winners on their success. At the same time, we should welcome more competition.

THE Schools re-opened on Monday, September 20th, and a very bad beginning was made. Take one school out of three-,Downham. The number of names on the books is 138. The average attendance this week has been 88. That is, 50 have been kept away from school. The consequence is this,-the one school has lost in this one week £2 10s., in grant. Now add to this Pvmoor and S. Owen's, and take the average for the year, then it will be seen how much money is lost through bad attendance. That is not all. The bad attendance means a bad examination, and again loss of grant.

WE had hoped to save a great deal of money out of the Feoffee Oharity for the poor, but those who keep their children from school make it impossible. The Government Inspector arrived unexpectedly this morning. When he saw the attendance he held up his hands in despair, and said, " why don't you prosecute the people who employ children under age, and why are the parents not summoned ~" However, if there is nothing to give away at Christmas, people will know why it is, and that they have only themselves to blame.