No Hartland schoolgirls come by bus to Bideford

First round in the battle between parents of children attending Hartland School and Devon Education authority over the authority’s plan to send senior girls by bus into Bideford, 14 miles away, one day a week for domestic science lessons, went last Friday morning to the parents.

In a biting wind supporters of the protest gathered around the school entrance with eight School Managers who were headed by their chairman, Mr H Mitchell. When the bus due to make the trip to Bideford drew up, the cars of two managers, Mr H Harris and Mrs W Turner, were parked immediately behind and in front of it. After waiting some time the bus driven by Mr W L Heard, went off empty.

Parents outside the gates pointed out that the travelling by bus to school and then on to Bideford and back would mean a round trip of about 50 miles a day for some girls, and that they considered the move was the thin end of the wedge towards the closing of Hartland School altogether.

The full Gazette article is dated 16 January 1959