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.