Chronicle chief reporter takes a look back at the stories that were making the news in February 1970.

WE WANT A NURSERY

FIFTY angry young mothers together with their young children marched on Barnsley Town Hall on Monday in the latest move in their fight for nursery education facilities at Pogmoor.

The mothers filed into the Education Department offices and handed over a letter asking why a previous letter they had submitted had not been answered.

In it, they had asked for a meeting with the Director of Education, Mr H.A Redburn, to discuss their problems.

Police ushered the women out of the town hall after they had made their protest.

The trouble started almost two years ago when the reception class at St Matthew’s School, Pogmoor Road, closed down.

The mothers say that up to then, the children had been able to go there when they were four-and-a-half years old and get a ground for when they started school proper.

The women contend that there are ample facilities for nursery education at St Matthew’s.

“We feel there is some unfairness about the distribution of nursery classes in the area,’ said a spokeswoman, “and we are not satisfied with the replies we have had from the Education Department.”

She said that more and more women were joining the protest.

“We do not intent to give up until we get some satisfaction,” she said.

Later, Mr Redburn said he had agreed to meet representatives of the mothers to discuss the situation.

STAR OF KES GETS TV ROLE

DAVID Bradley, 16-year-old star of the Barnsley-made film ‘Kes’ is back in business.

Granada Television have offered him a substantial part in an episode of their £1m series ‘Family at War’ due to be networked in April.

This week, David, currently studying for CSE examinations at St Helen’s School, Barnsley, was in Liverpool doing screen tests for his part as a Yorkshire refugee during the war.

The series, the biggest ever handled by an independent television company, is planned to run for 52 weeks.

Davis is due to appear in episode nine - but if all goes well he could be offered more work.

He said: “I’m thrilled about this, and so are my parents.

“But it has also realised an ambition I have had since ‘Kes’.

“I was hoping that when people had seen the film, more work would follow so that I could break straight into the acting world.

“But now it looks as if things are already starting to go my way.”

DODWORTH SCHOOL TO TEACH FRENCH

MR I.G Owen, headmaster at Dodworth County Secondary School, reported at the annual meeting of the school governors that French would be added to the school curriculum in September.

Although he was delighted with this position, he said he sometimes felt frustrated at not having complete backing of the governing body in regard to the reorganisation of the school proposed for 1972.

He remarked: “I believe that when we do to begin to operate as a school for ten to 13 year olds, the children of this village will have cause to be thankful.

“I hope that the system will be implemented as I feel that it will be of great benefit to Dodworth.”

Replying to these comments County Coun B Illingswoth assured Mr Owen that the concern of the governors was for the wellbeing of the children.