He has been an ardent advocate of the Agricultural Labourers’ Union. He
and his wife are both members of the N.U.T. to-day, and have been during
the past eight years. Mrs. Higdon was this year made honorary member by
her Association, East Dereham, in order to ensure her continuance of her
qualification for support could she not afford to pay.
In order to relieve the anxiety of a few up-to-date doubting Thomases I
here insert certificate of membership:
No. 44,784.
Received of Mrs. Higdon (1913), of Burston, Diss., following amounts
on behalf of N.U.T. and the East Dereham Association.
SUBSCRIPTION.
s. d.
Annual to Local Association 3 0
Annual to N.U.T 12 0
Signature of Local Secretary or Treasurer, A.
E. Tripp.
Mr. Higdon’s 1914 membership card is 41,534. He possesses similar
receipts right up to date.
In order also to relieve the minds of a few gentlemen who know so much
_that is not so_, Mr. and Mrs. Higdon have not received one penny piece
from the “nuts” of the N.U.T. Executive. They have taught during the
last sixteen months without fee, and the villagers, having understudied
Elijah’s raven, have, out of their humble cupboards, supplied the
Higdons. Pardon this digression.
Now to come to the root cause of the persecutions.
Those in authority like not the cold, clear light of public opinion to be
focussed upon their apathy and neglect.
For centuries have squire and parson held the countryside in subjection.
“Ye shall know them by their fruits.”
Low standards of living, emigration, insanitary hovels, and
servility—these are the fruits. The Parish Council Elections, both at
Wood Dalling and Burston, gave the _owners of the people’s lives_ a
severe shock.
At each place, Assistant-Master Higdon and the agricultural labourers
topped the poll. At Burston, Higdon defeated the very Reverend Rector,
C. T. Eland. An unpardonable offence. He topped the poll, and with him
five labourers were elected, thus displacing the parson and the
landowners. After these victories, the persecutions commenced, both at
Wood Dalling and Burston.
“Go, Tubal, fee me an officer, I will have the heart of him.”
I am also proud to add that in spite of the most strenuous (or
strenuseless) opposition, spite of clergy and farmers’ malice, Higdon and
his friends have carried their housing agitation to victory—the Local
Government Board having just given their decision in favour of the
Burston Parish Council against the District Council, that the houses must
be proceeded with forthwith. No wonder the villagers are gratified.
Often have the younger end to wait until their elders die off ere they
can get married, and the funeral-baked meats oft furnish the Matrimonial
Passover.
When we learn of people crowded in small sleeping rooms, and Barnardo
children occupying one-storied insanitary hovels, with outside walls only
seven feet high, and damp rooms on ground floor, unfit for sleeping in,
we may easily guess the fight the schoolmaster had to make.
Strange is it not that gentlemen living in the best house in the
village—as clergymen generally do—should be such strong opponents of good
homes for other Christians?
The only faults Mrs. Higdon had to find at school were simply faults
which every lady inhabiting a house would seek to remedy. Faults of
lighting, heating, drainage, and schoolhouse pump which were essential
matters to the health of even labourers’ offspring.
The reverend manager and his local committee, however, objected.
The schoolroom fire was lit upon wet mornings to dry the children’s
clothes, as the third radiator of the heating apparatus did not
sufficiently warm the room. The Reverend Eland visited the school and
the mistress explained to him her reasons for lighting this fire
occasionally. Strange to say, he agreed with her, and advised her to
write Mr. Wade, of Shimpling. He not replying (according to his usual
practice) silence was taken as consent.
Not before a new body of managers was formed, with the reverend
gentleman, who had previously given his permission as chairman (C. T.
Eland), was the complaint _re_ fire re-resurrected.
So much for the fire, the whole fire, and nothing but the fire, so help
your wet clothes.
“Trivialities oft usher in tragedies, however.”