Education seems to have been a political football for as long as I can remember. And one thing which has – to me – been blatantly obvious is that, amid the decades of political claptrap one thing has been largely ignored: the education of the individual child.

This seems to have been lost over the years amid the cloud of the various-isms which have so preoccupied the various vested interests over the years. And it’s still going on – very often resulting in change for change’s sake. Why politicians can’t leave well alone I can’t imagine.

It’s the same with newly appointed managers or chief executives. How often have these taken over an organisation, turned it upside down and gained reputations by broadcasting their actions – for a few years only – before flitting off to pastures new before the chickens come home to roost.

But, as most readers will know by now, I am a big bad cynic.

Academies are in vogue at the moment. At the most I’ll give them a couple of decades before they’re replaced by something new.

The education of Workington children was in the news back in 1891 and was featured in the local papers.

Under the legislative system then in force, the schools in Workington were run by the borough of Workington and, periodically, they organised elections to create a local School Board.

The prospective Board members were to administer elementary schools in the area. They were elected by members of the public – not selected by borough councils – a system which lasted until the Boards were abolished in 1902.

So were these boards representative of their local communities? Just look at some of the people standing for the Workington School Board Election of 1891 – but there’s not enough space to give the full list: John Brice Adams, Infirmary Rd, grocer and provisions merchant; George Tomlinson Archibald, 10 Station Rd, chemists and druggist; John Scott Beattie, blacksmith; Edwin James Castiglione, 20 Nook St, auctioneer & valuer; Thomas Sadler Douglas, Ellerkeld, gentleman; William Charles John Lewis, 6 Murraydale Terrace – schoolmaster; Alfred Palin, Mason St, clerk in holy orders; John Mandale, Pow St, jeweller – and William Wilson, 40 Elizabeth St, pawnbroker.

By no stretch of the imagination were any of these gentlemen – and they were all men – of impoverished means.

And what a joy it was to find out what some of their first names were.

As I’ve mentioned before, being given only a person’s initials is both frustrating and maddening.

Archibald is listed as being a chemist and a druggist. There must be difference. Something else for my TBR File.

You will have noticed that this list does not give any political allegiance for any candidate – but it’s extremely likely that everybody knew which of the parties most of them supported. The candidates also took adverts in the local paper. William Wilson, Walter Parkes and John S Beattie had a joint ad sponsored by the local Trades Council.

They stated that they had been chosen to stand as Labour candidates and that they were aware of the needs of members of the working class.

Before the election, Wilson fell out with the other Trades Council members and then chose to stand as a Trades Council Free Candidate. He issued a pamphlet to that effect.

Parkes and Beattie then produced another pamphlet asking for votes – with the phrase “No Traitors” printed at the bottom.

Alfred E Palin was keen to develop the moral character of the school children; something he believed was of interest to all truly Christian parents.

He thought the Scripture lessons should be improved. He stressed that these should be on non-sectarian lines.

It poured down with rain on the day of the election. Very few carriages were available and the voters had to make their way on foot.

Some people believed that because of the disagreement, very few would vote for Wilson.

But when votes were counted the next day, he came top of the poll. Beattie and Parkes were not elected.

Those elected were Messrs Wilson, Archibald, McMullen, Mandale, Palin, McAleer, Scott, Kennaugh and Randall.

Something the newly elected members had to deal with was the problem of teachers’ salaries. Many teachers and assistants believed that they weren’t being paid enough.

Now doesn’t that sound familiar?