BARKINGSIDE

Bishop of Brentwood Strongly Defended
On Monday of last week a letter from Canon Palmer was read at the meeting of the Ilford Education Committee, refuting the accusations made in certain press reports of the opening of the new Catholic school at Barkingside, that Mgr. Arthur Doubleday had used phrases derogatory of the local education authority and that there had been complaints that no member of the Education Committee had been present.
The letter stated with reference to St. Augustine's School, that there had been no formal opening as he, Canon Palmer, understood that most councillors were absent on holiday at the time. The letter went On " I am disturbed in my mind at hearing that the Education Committee felt incensed at some observations which are supposed to have been made by the Bishop of Brentwood when he came to bless the new school.
" I was beside His Lordship when he congratulated the parents on the erection of the new school. He made no remark that was in any way derogatory of the local education authority, " In case my memory should be at fault, I made it my business to interview His Lordship today. He was indignant at having fathered on to him expressions he never used.
These reports, which did not appear in the CATHOLIC HERALD. imputed to the Bishop of Brentwood phrases to the effect that parents had sent their children back to Ireland rather than " expose them to the contaminating influence of the council or non-Catholic schools."