school board
[board n. 8 b.]
1. In England and Wales from 1870 to 1902, and in Scotland from 1872 to 1918, a body of persons elected by the rate-payers of a ‘school district’, and charged by statute with the provision and maintenance of sufficient accommodation in public elementary schools for all the children of the district.
In England school boards were established only in districts in which either a majority of the ratepayers approved, or the existing accommodation in public elementary schools was considered by the Education Department to be insufficient. The Education Act of 1902 abolished school boards in England, and transferred their duties and powers to the County Councils.
In Scotland there was a school board in every school district (which was usually a burgh or a parish). By the Act of 1872 the control of the burgh and parish schools established by previous Acts, was vested in the school boards, which were also required to establish and maintain such additional schools as might be needed.
The Education (Scotland) Act of 1918 abolished school boards in Scotland, and transferred their duties and powers to burgh or county education authorities.
| 1870 Act 33 & 34 Vict. c. 75 §10 If..the Education Department are satisfied that all the public school accommodation required..has not been so supplied..the Education Department shall cause a school board to be formed for the district. 1872 Act 35 & 36 Vict. c. 62 §8 A school board shall be elected in and for each and every parish and burgh [in Scotland]. 1876 Fawcett Pol. Econ. ii. viii. (ed. 5) 234 A school board is very rarely established in a country parish. 1882 M. Arnold Ir. Ess., etc. 131 You often see the School Boards..making the programme of their elementary schools too ambitious. |
| attrib. 1891 Kipling Light that Failed xiv, Alf was not a nice child, being puffed up with many school-board certificates for good conduct. |
2. In countries other than Great Britain, a board charged with the provision and maintenance of schools.
| 1836 Chambers's Edin. Jrnl. 27 Aug. 244/2 Over these provinces [in Prussia] is placed a consistory, or council, divided also into three sections, one of which is termed the school-board. 1838 F. B. Hawkins Germany xii. 201 Every circle and parish has also its school-board. 1857 Harper's Mag. Sept. 571/2 Can you inform me where the president of your school board resides? 1911 Daily Colonist (Victoria, B.C.) 11 Apr. 7/3 The school board which recently submitted its estimates for the year to the city council will have to revise them. 1972 Even. Telegram (St. John's Newfoundland) 24 June 6/1 The government..tried to save a few dollars on the busing of children to school. There were immediate cries of pain from the Opposition and from some school boards. 1976 National Observer (U.S.) 2 Oct. 15/11 It was my job to cover the..school-board meetings of several communities. |